So there is an awful site out there called gelcosmetics.com that has been stealing my posts – images and written content. I tried contacting their host to get them to remove my content and got no response. This irritated me. So I did research on how to block hotlinking. I followed this AWESOME tutorial, How to Prevent Websites from Hotlinking your Site Images. I added a wordpress plugin called Station Identification to make it clear that if my posts are showing up on another site, such as the one mentioned above, it’s clear it’s there without my permission.
I’ve added several sites to my allowed list, including:
BlogLovin’, Feedburner, Blogger, Google Reader, and Facebook.
I do love the fact that the image I made visible on sites that are hotlinking to my stuff says “I’m a Content Thief! I steal images and posts from other people!”
Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Let me know if you have any questions or any issues. I’m grateful to online web tutorials for making it relatively easy for me to fix issues like this. If you use another reader than the ones I mention above to follow my blog, please let me know which reader and what the URL is (example: for Blogger, http://www.Blogger.com/Home) so I can add it to my approved list.
Please note, if you’re in a different country than me, please send me your URL (example. http://www.google.com.au/reader) so that I can add it to the list, because the URLs vary by country. I’ll be happy to add you to fix this issue 
Please don’t let this stop you from using Pinterest. Pinterest is a great way to get people to visit blogs, shops, etc. The best example I can give is that I saw gorgeous nail polish on Pinterest. I clicked on the image. It took me to the blog that it was pinned from. That blog had a link to the shop. I purchased the nail polish from that shop… all because Pinterest let me see it, held the URL for the original content and I liked it. I think Pinterest is great for sharing So please continue to share my images and others on it! Pinterest is awesome! You can find me on Pinterest as Phyrra.
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While it stinks that people are stealing content from you- I love the image that now shows up when they hotlink to you… Ha ha!
Fitting and oh not so subtle
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Hehe! That’s why I made the image tell it like it is. They’re such jerks!
I’m glad you like it
I hope this post will help other bloggers who are having to deal with the same issues.
I have to say, I specially googled that odious blog to see the “I’m a content thief!” image that pops up when they steal imges. I gotta admit, it satisfied me when it’s now all over their site! I suggest you include your own link though, so anyone who sees it can go to where the original content is. Like after all the “I’m a content thief” part, you could add “For the real thing, visit http://www.phyrra.net” or something. Just to sock it to them a little more, if you know what I mean?
I’ve had site ssteal my posts and images wholesale too…They just steal the entire RSS feed. I’ve found that by setting my feed to short feed (instead of the full feed), it helps to lessen the incidence of scrappers stealing the whole RSS feed.
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I took your advice and added it
The Station Identification WordPress Plugin helps by adding a blurb at the end of the RSS. Mine is identical to what’s on my blog:
Phyrra.net by Phyrra is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Based on a work at phyrra.net.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://phyrra.net.
Go get ‘em, Tiger! They should give credit if they are going to post a picture, like, “Look at Phyrra’s beautiful use of blue and green in this look,” instead of just continually stealing content and acting like it is their own. Hopefully, all of the previous content that was stolen shows up with the message, too.
Yep, i totally agree!
You should set the image to be something for a company that brutally enforces the copyright on their ip, and has deep enough pockets to send scary letters to people, maybe disney or something. (or maybe a montage), perhaps add a taunt at the bottom to “sue me”
Naw, that would get me in trouble for using their image
I’m just hoping I eventually hear back from their host.
That’s awesome that you looked up how to do that. I hope I never encounter the same issue–heck maybe I’ll just do that and prevent it from ever happening. Thanks for this
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You’re welcome! I was happy I could research a solution and make it work
I went to that site to see what you meant (and honestly, to see this “I steal posts!” image, hehe). All the most recent posts were yours! And it really is sad, because the difference between just saying “Phyrra says this” as opposed to plopping it there like original content, is the difference between them being a valid site and losing all credibility. Hurray for you finding a way to put them in their place!
Thanks Gabrielle
I was happy, too! Yep, it’s one thing to say ‘see this cool thing X person did’ and quite another to say ‘I wrote all this.’
I uploaded some of your pictures to pinterest because I love your make-up looks but they link back to your site and I never claimed them as mine. How do you feel about that? I never thought about asking first, sorry. If you don’t like it I will take them down, they do link back to your site and say your name on them.
No, I love Pinterest! I’m perfectly fine with them being on Pinterest
The way Pinterest works it ends up linking back to my blog. So please, keep on using Pinterest. It’s awesome! I just don’t like sites like that one I mentioned above that are stealing my images and writing and claiming them as their own.
femputer from femputer makeup was just dealing with this! I hope she reads this post! So is it still okay for me to link to your blog? ex: Love this look Phyrra did! Then link to the post?
Yes of course! I’m fine with that. I just don’t like people claiming my eyes, my face, my makeup, my reviews, my writing, my thoughts as their own.
Seems like that movie with Briget Fonda, Single White Female when someone claims to be you using your posts.
Yep. I agree. It’s creepy.
I”m a content thief I steal Image and post from other people = ROFL, I loved your solution,
You’re awsome las year when I asked permission to use your pics you let me use it in a blink of an eye.
I dont coment very often but I follow your blog, thanks for sharing.
Thank you! Yeah, I’m always flattered when I get emails like yours
I think it’s sweet.
UGH so sorry this happened to you! I wondered what was going on, I subscribe by email and saw the disclaimer at the bottom.
Yes I do so love to pin people–but what I LOVE about Pinterest is that it links back to the original site–so the proper person gets credit.
Good luck with the asshats
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Yes! Exactly that. Pinterest is AWESOME!
Yeah sorry if the disclaimer is confusing. I was just trying to cover all my bases.
Linking to someone’s blog can be great – it helps build the person’s followers, certainly can interest their followers in the linked blog, and exposes people to things they might have otherwise seen. But always give credit where it’s due, and certainly never claim someone else’s info as your own.
Good for you, Phyrra. You work hard on your posts, you should protect them.
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Tottaly agree with you cinSeven13.
Thank you Cin! *hug*
I meant things they might not have otherwise seen. Duh! Got distracted by cat walking on front of screen.
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Ha ha! I saw this thread in NTMS and saw how the website had completely ripped you off. Now when I visit the “content thief” pics are everywhere. Awesome. Hopefully they’ll stop soon. I don’t get it though- why are they doing it? They’re not even selling anything. hmmmmmm
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I don’t know why they’re doing it. glad you were amused, too
Good for you! I’m glad there was a way for you to do something about this.
I read on the ‘net, sometime back, that someone was getting their bandwidth stolen by someone using their photos. So, they fixed it somehow to send back a ‘naughty’ photo instead.
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Yeah, that has happened to a lot of bloggers
Having the bandwidth stolen by hotlinking images sucks. So that’s what I did, I set up a redirect image 
I just surfed on over to gelcosmetics and nearly wet myself, I laughed so hard when I saw your image! LOVE how you gave the webmaster a little dose of justice, but sorry to see you had to deal with this nonsense in the first place. How I hate conent thieves!
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Glad you were amused
WTF is that website? It seems like he/she/they is lifting content from multiple blogs.
I loved that as soon as I scrolled down the words “HUMAN PLACENTA” took over the screen. EW. DO NOT WANT.
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I’m not really sure what they are, other than scum! They’re definitely stealing from multiple bloggers.
Back in the day when a friend would post a lot of his photography online there were thieves who would use the images to sell products. Once he found that out, he changed the images being hotlinked to, basically, pornographic pictures….so…yeah, that was dropped in a hurry. Unfortunately stopping people who have saved and toyed with images before re-uploading them and using them as their own is more difficult.
Good job on handling your hot-linking issues in a classier way.
Thanks Sara
Sorry about your friend’s images. That sucks 
I loved the image you created!! That is so upsetting, why go steal other people’s work instead of doing their own…ugh! I am so glad they will encounter a funny lil message when they try to steal your work again
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I love the image you redirect it to.
The site is down for me at the moment though (it worked earlier in the day). Let’s just hope whoever did it learned their lesson!
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Oh, geeze, I’m so sorry to hear about this. I was wondering if the new footer was inspired by something specific. =(
Sadly, yes.
Every post after this one for me shows the content thief photo! =( and in draft.blogger.com, all of the thumbnails are of it, too. All of the posts older than this on are ok. It’s odd.
Hi Shelby, let me know the exact URL you use to view my blog. If I don’t add the correct URL, you won’t be able to see it.
Example:
http://www.beautyblognetwork.com/magazine_/
http://www.google.com.au/reader
I was looking for a review about an indie makeup company and guess what i found? Your I’m content thief.
Another site is stealing from you:
http://www.occcosmetic.com/ravens-prophecy-of-darkness-mineral-indie-makeup-cosmetics-reviews.html
Sorry for being the “bearer of bad news” ( I had to use this sentence because I was reading LotR books.)