Legal Resources For Website Owners & Affiliates (Video + Downloadable PDF’s)

by Jeremy Schoemaker on July 22, 2010 · 79 comments

It seems like now a days I get asked more for legal advice then about anything else. Some of our court cases have been pretty well documented…

Just search Google for ShoeMoney Sues and you will find countless cases. Many of which have been featured in everything from Techcrunch, to the NY Times, Washington Post and the list goes on.

From working with tons of existing ShoeMoney System 1.0 students to talking with all the people at all the shows I meet there is a TON of fear from website owners. And with good reason.

If you become successful I guarantee you, you will have legal issues. Everything is great until your bringing in money then come the c&d notices. I have had legal documents filed against me when I had done nothing wrong but because I had put some very simple policies in place the cases were dismissed. and I am talking about HUGE companies like Nextel and other fortune 50 people that have sent us legal letters.

When our lawyers advised we put these policies in place I originally thought they were just trying to rack up billable hours. But they really saved our ass.

In this video I walk you through each of the things you need to have in place on your website and also give you my exact policies you can download.

On the other side we vigorously protect our brand, trademarks, and copyrighted content.

This is another question I get a lot is how do you do this and whats the costs? How do you peruse people who steal your stuff?

Well I have years of experience pursing people and I walk you through a lot of those cases in the video as well. I have picked up a lot of tricks over the years and its been quite a ride.

I also give you some example take down requests we send out that are very effective. These are letters we have developed over the years and they work very well.

But if the dirtbag who stole your content doesn’t comply with that, No worries I show you 3 different ways you can easily obtain their information. You see these weasels like to hide behind anonymous user registrations but in this video I show you exactly how to easily get their real information and peruse them.

One of the biggest takeaways for users IMO is how I show you how to position yourself to defend yourself. There is just a couple small things you need to do that can mean the difference between being entitled to just damages or being entitled to damages + all your legal fees + statutory damages of 100k+ per infringement.

So check out this video I put together for you and download the example policies. It will only be online until next Monday so go now ;)


*Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer. I do not practice law for a living. I have however testified and given depositions in many cases. Please consult with a lawyer before acting on any of my advice. My ass is now covered ;)

About the author...

– who has written 2414 posts on ShoeMoney.com.

Hi I am Jeremy Schoemaker and ShoeMoney.com is my blog. 99% of the post here are done by me but you will see others occasionally make guest posts. This blog is fun to write but for my day job I run several online companies.

Images provided by ShutterStock


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{ 79 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Tinh July 22, 2010 at 4:13 am

Is there any problem to download these materials? I see your disclaimer and wondering whether I should get it or not :-)

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2 Justin Dupre July 22, 2010 at 6:05 am

Trademarks, copyrighted content, and brand identities has been in more discussion lately. It’s necessary for us to learn more about it and apply it to our online business. Thanks for taking the time to put this together and give us many helpful resources.

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3 Benito Salvatore July 22, 2010 at 8:08 am

This is hundreds and thousands of dollars of free legal advice. Are you getting hate mail from any attorneys yet? Good stuff.

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4 newmediaist12 July 22, 2010 at 8:44 am

This is HUGE for those of us who have spent endless hours searching for this information online. A HUGE thanks Jeremy.

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5 d3so July 22, 2010 at 10:37 am

Thanks for sharing those documents.
I bet they’re worth a tremendous amount.

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6 browie July 22, 2010 at 11:01 am

The PDF’s are awesome shoe. I think a lot of people are going to find them useful.

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7 ways to make money online July 22, 2010 at 11:08 am

So what your saying is to gain some credibility and sue infringers for 100k for each one. That is genius Shoemeister…Good quick easy cash going around suing people…

Does this method work??????

Have you personally done this to get some extra “100ks” for doing this??

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8 Jeremy Schoemaker July 22, 2010 at 4:20 pm

If you actually watch the video you would know ;)

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9 RedBlack88 July 23, 2010 at 2:28 am

I knew you were planning something big when you dissed those pompous Fox media execs in a previous post! You made my day, Shoe. Thanks!

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10 OWillWritesWell July 23, 2010 at 2:37 am

Must take a breather! My brain is experiencing an Internet law knowledge overdrive!

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11 SnowBall July 22, 2010 at 12:28 pm

This is some really good information to know, not a lot of people think about the bad when building a business. And it’s a really good idea that you put together some information on it and how to handle it if it ever occurs.

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12 floresparati July 22, 2010 at 1:50 pm

you sharing your experiences is priceless. it is really rare to find this type of candor these days. and i agree… no one cares until you start making money.

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13 georgeblanco July 22, 2010 at 2:11 pm

What happens when people outside the US are stealing your content and ideas? Any resources?

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14 Yes2Freebies July 22, 2010 at 2:24 pm

Once again, I can’t believe how much of this stuff you give away for free. A champion salesman if I’ve ever seen one.

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15 medomoc July 22, 2010 at 5:10 pm

Awesome. With the videos, links, and PDF’s… This is a fantastic resource. You are the best!

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16 KrisM77 July 22, 2010 at 5:11 pm

Can you share the name of the law firm you use? Just curious. Thanks for your thoughts on the subpeona process. I can’t imagine trying to subpeona places like GoDaddy or Google on my own. It’s probably worth th $1,000 – $3,000 fee. As much as I hate lawyers, sometimes you need them.

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17 Ara600_m1 July 22, 2010 at 5:18 pm

I enjoyed the comments beneath your video. The SUEMoney System? Pretty funny!

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18 Fridtjof Salomon July 22, 2010 at 5:20 pm

This is first rate. It even applies to your friends in Canada. Thank you!

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19 Feeding Frenzy July 22, 2010 at 5:55 pm

I can’t believe the number of legal confrontations you’ve had! Who would have know that by dedicating your life to helping others make money on the internet, that you’d run into such catastrophes? I admire you for taking such risks. Great info here. It’s broken down nicely, and you can sort through it as you have time. I just love your products Jeremy!

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20 melg July 22, 2010 at 6:02 pm

Where was I when video #2 came out? The legal video was great. I don’t need this now (at least I don’t think I do), but I am so happy to know that there is info out there for when I become rich and famous. ;)

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21 Mark Mead July 22, 2010 at 6:23 pm

Such drama with all this legal stuff these days. So glad to know that there is a resource for when sh!t hits the fan. Better yet, there is information readily available to help BEFORE sh!t hits the fan. Thanks man!

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22 BigMoneyBrooklyn July 22, 2010 at 6:24 pm

That is a sweet video series. YOu don’t disappoint.

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23 Marnie Sho July 23, 2010 at 2:30 am

Lawyer or not, this is one great guide to kick rippers’ butts! Have you tried browsing http://www.bitlaw.com/forms/index.html? They also offer similar advice albeit in a more technical manner.

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24 Jason S. July 22, 2010 at 6:49 pm

I can’t believe this! Thank you so much! :)

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25 PokeYerFace July 22, 2010 at 6:51 pm

Gotta love those C & D letters. I have a binder full of them by now. If you are indeed doing something bad, you just stop and the lawyers go away. I’ve learned that much.

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26 Kimberly July 22, 2010 at 7:12 pm

Wow, I’m glad I came and checked out your site when I did… I see this vid will only be posted for a few days.

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27 Mathew Day July 22, 2010 at 8:29 pm

Appreciate it Shoe, I don’t know Jack about the legal side of things on the online world. This is really helpful!

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28 The American Dream July 22, 2010 at 9:14 pm

As a blogger and affiliate marketer, I am always hunting for helpful material on strategies how to position myself on people who tread on my brand and my hard work. It’s as if you read my mind, Shoe. I will definitely follow the rest of this video series.

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29 TomYoon July 22, 2010 at 9:19 pm

Unsurprisingly, other marketers have tried to build off your success through dubious means, registering ads through Google’s AdSense program that use the word ‘Shoemoney’ in their text, a term that you have solely trademarked. Well, one thing’s for sure — I will always be your fan.

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30 Cristina Dy July 22, 2010 at 9:26 pm

What’s your two cents’ worth on Internet privacy, Shoe? As a regular web browser, I have been frequently plagued with unnecessary collection of personal data from random sites I end up visiting since 2009. Do you think there’s a cyberspace conspiracy happening?

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31 WhoisDoyle July 22, 2010 at 9:51 pm

As a passionate web surfer myself, I make it a point to do these SOP’s when browsing my favorite or interesting sites I come across: 1. Disable all cookies. 2. Specifically disable double-click cookies (they can lead to nastier results). 3. Use Adblock or similar programs. I hope these pointer will help you combat those pesky personal data invaders.

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32 Jona712 July 22, 2010 at 9:39 pm

I signed up as soon as possible when I saw the download bar. Thanks a lot, Shoe. To say it bluntly, a lot of sharks posing as web marketers are out there ready to pounce on your brand as soon as they see an opening. I know that this series will sharpen up my Internet legal know-how in a snap.

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33 moolahmachine July 22, 2010 at 9:45 pm

As a web marketing newbie, I believe I still have a lot of things to learn about getting my way around the playing field. From copyright issues to intellectual property dilemmas, I know I will be prepared in the future…as soon as I finish your video series, that is. A million thanks!

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34 spameater July 22, 2010 at 10:13 pm

Hats off to you, Jeremy. I’d have to pay for a ton of cash on some sites to get access to this info. Throwing in sample legal emails and policies surely made this one a heck of a deal.

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35 enajyram00 July 22, 2010 at 9:54 pm

Do you know what today’s phrase is? It’s definitely “class action.” Way to go, Jeremy!

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36 Husher50 July 22, 2010 at 10:10 pm

Although there are a lot of so-called Internet legal guides out there, I still don’t get the whole picture of what we marketing aspects to look out for when it comes to drawing the line on legal and illegal. This is absolutely premium stuff right here.

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37 GQmeansGeek July 23, 2010 at 2:23 am

I tried looking up “Shoemoney sues” on Google and got dizzy looking at the number of entries that popped up. Man, that’s a lot of legal issues to wrestle. How do you do it, Guru Shoe?

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38 Robin Sterling July 22, 2010 at 10:22 pm

Thanks for giving us beginners an opportunity to take our Internet legal expertise up a notch. Speaking of internet privacy, I came across an article somewhere that Google will enforce a mandatory personal information collection in the next few months. What do you think, Jeremy?

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39 Ron July 22, 2010 at 11:36 pm

Wow, just some feedback, the new pop-up with the video is WAY over the top and pretty freaking annoying… sure hope it remembers cookies and won’t appear again. I love this site but the commercialization and CONSTANT selling is getting a bit over the top.

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40 FirenzeZ July 23, 2010 at 2:00 am

Your episode with the Google employee in 2009 is such an inspiration to us web business greenhorns that Internet titans don’t always get their way. I think this video series is a very empowering experience. Kudos!

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41 WhoSaysWhat01 July 23, 2010 at 2:00 am

Admit it, shoe. You made this series with me in mind. LMAO

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42 internetFTW July 23, 2010 at 2:16 am

How come we weren’t taught about this in our media class? Glad to be a fan of yours, Jeremy. :D Looking forward to hear your take on brand identities and protecting them efficiently.

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43 veronica_sm July 23, 2010 at 2:02 am

My most favorite Internet legal news post? Here it is for all of you to admire: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/3644610.stm

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44 AL0101 July 23, 2010 at 2:06 am

Definitely a win for me, Shoe! This is a very nice way to increase awareness on Internet laws, especially for struggling affiliate marketers like me. By the way, another favorite site of mine is http://www.isoc.org/internet/law/genforms.shtml. Why don’t you check it out sometime?

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45 Nicole Burns July 23, 2010 at 2:27 am

Just thinking aloud, Shoe. What happens if your brand is ripped off in another language but the concept is still the same? Say “Shoemoney” is translated into Russian or some other European language that completely changes its spelling but the meaning is still the same?

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46 Man From Uranus July 23, 2010 at 2:34 am

Why trust lawyers in the first place?

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47 Fields of Clover July 23, 2010 at 2:41 am

Great post, Jeremy. By the way, who are you featuring for tomorrow’s T-Shirt Fridays? I hope you received the hip blue and red ensemble I sent you last Monday featuring the logo of our online pastry shop…

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48 WhateverWorks July 23, 2010 at 2:59 am

Thanks for taking my interest in Internet law to a whole new higher level, Jeremy. Just read TechCrunch’s article on your run-in with an erring Google employee. Nice job!

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49 Simon Croft July 23, 2010 at 3:20 am

Hi Jeremy,

Great post. When you start small, people just don’t think that any of this stuff applies but it needs to be done and in place regardless of size.

Many thanks for all the info and downloads

Simon

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50 Deevan July 23, 2010 at 3:20 am

Wish the world was a simpler place. I am really impressed with the resources you offer, and I took a look at the disclaimer – I like it. Clear, simple, and understandable.

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51 ILoveMemes July 23, 2010 at 3:25 am

“Suemoney?” That would be a great meme if you ask me!

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52 thoushallpass July 23, 2010 at 4:02 am

I don’t know enough about the legal system to know what to worry about. This is why I love this post — and the free stuff along with it. Thanks, Shoe.

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53 PattyT12 July 23, 2010 at 3:38 am

I am so looking forward to read your future posts in this series! Please do insert some more insight on DevHub, Jeremy. I just signed up and I think it’s a neat site. Don’t know how to make it an effective platform for my online cookware shop, though.

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54 nealcal July 23, 2010 at 3:46 am

Of all the legal cases you’ve been in, I really loved how you got your way around Rich Jerk. Great display of raw power (and an impressive show of legal know-how, too).

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55 NicMoon July 23, 2010 at 3:49 am

Shoe, I’ve always enjoyed reading your blog. Its entertaining and, of course, informative. I just laugh when people try to sue you over silly stuff. Keep those posts coming!

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56 Black Media Properties July 23, 2010 at 7:07 pm

I love how you keep everything simple “legal stuff” …lol..thanks for all the advice…free legal advice..

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57 Jamie July 23, 2010 at 11:48 pm

When it comes to “legal”, we need to check thoroughly what may implies from our act. These shares are really useful. Thanks for making them easier to understand by creating the video.

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58 registry checker July 24, 2010 at 3:10 pm

Knowing what is legal to use is important if you don’t want to get a lawsuit on your hands.

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59 coat stand July 25, 2010 at 11:05 pm

Great info in there, and for free! That would’ve cost us a few grand if we had to figure it out with our own attorneys…….

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60 JoseGregorio July 26, 2010 at 9:16 am

Thank you so much for the PDF’s, It seems that it is ver easy to get in trouble online! Many people including myself fail to realize that there are in fact laws which apply online to marketing! thanks again for the post! great stuff!

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61 eggless muffins July 26, 2010 at 10:08 pm

I love the disclaimer at the bottom. Those things always make me chuckle.

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62 denver help you sell July 27, 2010 at 6:06 pm

This is such a great resource that you are providing and you give it away for free. I love seeing websites that understand the value of providing a quality resource

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63 moneyshoe July 28, 2010 at 2:11 pm

good stuff. thanks shoe

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64 crazyfast media July 30, 2010 at 8:53 pm

Thanks very much Shoe; really learned alot and appreciate the great and thorough overviews. Looking forward to taking advantage of round 2 of Money System 2.0 – missed round 1 :(

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66 Tax Planning Attorney August 20, 2010 at 10:39 pm

These videos are great jeremy! I will pass them on to some friends who i believe should take these exact precautions. Much appreciated :)

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The Australian election campaign 2010 seems to me to be a lost cause in that seemingly none of the big parties are campagning on the most important issue – the re-nationalisation and so restoration of Australia’s biggest financial asset, the Commonwealth Bank. None of the other issues are of any consequence by any comparison.

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68 Legalsounds August 24, 2010 at 2:55 pm

I can see that you are an expert in this area. I am starting a website soon, and your information will be very useful for me.. Thanks for all your help and wishing you all the success in your business.

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69 Mary September 4, 2010 at 10:17 am

I’m glad that I was able to download the content. It was really informative and useful.

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70 Law For Your Website October 9, 2010 at 5:18 am

Hi Jeremy,

Great information. Rather than re-inventing the wheel (with too much legalese to turn) I’m recommending people come and have a read and a watch of your video. A little realistic perspective on what time, energy and costs are involved in a legal proceeding is great for people who’ve never been involved before. Also about to refer to your post in my blog @www.lawforyourwebite.com, hope you don’t mind!

Regards
Jeanette

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71 Law For Your Website October 9, 2010 at 5:31 am

Point. While writing a blog, and just having read one that you wrote about iStockphotos (!!!) I do prefer to add images to my posts. Is there one you are happy to give permission to use?

Jeanette

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Who knows what happens next… All I know is:

Beauty lasts for a moment, but ugly goes on and on and on. :)

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