Protecting your eBook
One of the key advantages of Internet is that content can be instantly published without any hassle. No wonder eBooks have become a great way to earn revenue and market your products. However, there is a downside to Internet. In recent times there has been a surge in the number of hackers as well as plagiarists who use someone else’s material for their gain. Protecting an eBook has thus become a major issue.
In this section, we would look at three ways – disabling content, password protection, and copyrights to protect the content of your eBook. It would be advisable to employ all these three to ensure that no hacker or plagiarist could gain from your work.
Disabling content
One of the techniques to protect content of your eBook is to limit readers from copying, editing, or even printing it. This way the reader can view the content but cannot copy it to another file. Most compilers offer such functionality. While creating an eBook you can disable copy, edit, and print features.
Another technique of disabling certain functionality is by installing a JavaScript that disables the reader’s ability to right click. This can stop him/her from copying your content. However, these techniques have considerable flaws. Anyone can still view the content and write it out in another file. Moreover, in some cases it may be possible to view the source code and copy the content.
The latter issue can be resolved if the eBook is in PDF form. Adobe, which is used to create and view PDF files offers a system, Adobe Content Server, that not only allows you to distribute files or eBooks (PDFs) directly from any web site, but also to then track and control the "unauthorized mass distribution and potential copyright infringements" of your file. With systems like Adobe, you can limit the user's ability to print pages, copy text, and even disallow automatic audio interpretation.
Other eBook generators also offer similar functionality. That said there are still many ways to get around these security features and copy content. All three methods discussed (disabling content, password protection, and copyrights) must be applied in conjunction to minimize the threat of hacking and plagiarism.
Password Protection
You can set a password for your eBook. Any reader would be asked for the password before he/she can view the eBook. eBook compilers provide password protection for your eBook. For instance, Adobe provides password protection that requires any reader to enter a password before opening the eBook. However, the reader would have to enter a password every time he/she wishes to read the book. This is not desirable.
You need to look at certain aspects of password protection while choosing a compiler. Check the types of passwords that are supported. Most eBook compilers offer some type of password protection so your user can only unlock the content they purchased from you. A good eBook compiler should offer different ways to generate different types of passwords, ranging from the most secure to the most user-friendly and open.
Another important point to consider is how you generate the passwords. Some eBook compilers offer self-contained password protection mechanisms right inside the software itself. Other eBook compilers are tied to live Internet based password control systems. Which type of password protection is right for you is entirely dependent on, relatively speaking, how paranoid you are about your content being stolen or plagiarized.
On another note, you need to take certain precautions if you use PayPal or ClickBank to sell your eBook. Do not put your downloadable file on the "Thank You" page the way they tell you to. All the thieves know that if they find a site selling a product using PayPal or ClickBank, the chances are pretty good they can get the product for free. All they have to do is visit your sales page and look at the source code. PayPal and ClickBank make it easy for them by plainly listing the location of your "thank you" page.
You'd be amazed how many people are losing sales every day to these thieves. It's getting more difficult for them, though, since there are now scripts and programs available to encrypt the source code. The best way to combat this flaw is to use a combination of a password-protected directory and encryption of PayPal links on the sales pages. This would work well.
Again, there are ways to get around password protection. There are many sophisticated tools that can easily hack into the eBook. Besides, one of your readers, after receiving the password may distribute the eBook freely. This brings us to the third and probably the most important technique of protection your eBook – copyrights.
Copyrights
US Copyright Laws (Title 17, U.S. Code) provide protection to all authors of "original work of authorship". This includes literary and other forms of intellectual work such as eBooks, articles, and other content.
Any work published after 1989 is automatically protected under the US Copyright Law. You need not even display a copyright notice. However, it is crucial that you register your work with the US Copyright Office for fully enjoy all benefits of copyrights. Without registering, you may not have any remedy if you find your work was illegally copied. Registration is voluntary but highly recommended.
One of the key advantages of registering your eBook is that you cannot sue anyone for infringement, unless the eBook is registered. Besides, you are awarded statutory damages only if you are registered within 3 months of your first publication. Registering your work is proof that your work is copyrighted.
As stated earlier, you may not need to display a notice if your work is published and registered after 1989. However, to be on the safer side it is always advisable to put on view a small notice stating that all content is copyrighted under the US laws. The format of the notice is as shown:
Copyright © 2003 COPYRIGHT YOUR (OWNER’S) NAME. All rights reserved.
Most surfers have a misconception that if this notice is not displayed, the content is not copyrighted. To remove any misunderstanding, it is best to exhibit such a notice.
To register your eBook with the US Copyright Office, you can visit any of the sites given below
MediaRegister – http://www.mediaregister.com
Click and Copyright – http://www.clickandcopyright.com
Infringement of copyright can have many repercussions. A court of law can seize any material that violates copyrights. It can also restrict the infringer from doing any more business. Monetary damages are also provided. The injured party can choose to receive either his/her actual damages and profits made by the or statutory damages.
However, most people weigh their options before suing a party for violation of copyrights. It is advisable to sue as a last option. If you can ensure that the infringer would stop being dishonest, you may not have to sue. This would save you your lawyer fees, which in many cases is higher than the damages claimed.
Copyright laws have some limitations. In some cases, these limitations are specified exemptions from copyright liability. Besides, there is a limit as to what can be copyrighted and what cant. Usually, all literary works, which includes eBooks is copyrighted. However, works that are not in a tangible form such as speeches that have not been recorded or written cannot be copyrighted. Thus, if your book concerns Internet Marketing, a speech or an interview by an expert that has not been written anywhere cannot be copyrighted.
Other works that cannot be copyrighted include:
§ Titles, names, short phrases, and slogans; familiar symbols or designs; mere variations of lettering, or coloring; mere listings of contents
§ Ideas, procedures, methods, systems, processes, concepts, principles, discoveries, or devices, as distinguished from a description, explanation, or illustration
§ Works consisting entirely of information that is common property and containing no original authorship, such as lists or tables taken from public documents or other common sources.
For detailed information on copyright issues please visit the US Copyright Office at:
http://www.loc.gov/copyright/
Inserting a legal disclaimer
You can also put a legal disclaimer in your eBook to prevent other people from distributing or copying your eBook without approval. A sample disclaimer is given below.
Title Here
ISBN Number Here
© 2001 Company Name Here, Inc.
All rights reserved worldwide. Please note that this eBook has been registered with the US Library of Congress and is fully protected by the copyright law of the United States of America contained in Title 17 of the United States Code.
No part of this eBook, in part or in full, may be reproduced, stored, copied, printed, or transmitted by any means without the express written consent of Company Name Here.
Violations of this copyright will be enforced to the fullest extent of the law.
