How do you get a web host to take action?

[Toby_Jackson]

Hello.

 

First off, I wasn't sure what category to post this in. So I figured this section was for general computer or Internet related help.

 

Anyway, I've been bothered by a website named Encyclopedia Dramatica for several years now, because those who run the site have submitted an attack 'article' about myself on there. Since they control who can edit the pages and whatnot, I cannot really do anything with it myself. Someone with a petty grudge against myself initially created the article under an anonymous name way back in early 2008. I've made it known that I dislike it being there, so they keep taunting me all the more and it works, because obviously I'm trying to get it totally deleted.

 

I'd only managed to get that article removed once before in 2010 after I found out who their host was and I sent in a DMCA report. However, remnants of the page they made about me are also obtainable on the Internet Archive website and so even if I did get it removed, they would just find a way to bring it back. It wasn't easy even then to find out who their host was and I was just glad it was sorted out eventually, but since that time, those responsible have shifted to a server in Romania and my attack page has been revived. In its current form, it has now been online since 2011.

 

I'm sure I know who their current host is, because I saw something about it on ripoffreport.com before. However, whenever I send a complaint their way detailing the problems I've had to go through, nobody responds. It would be helpful if somebody responded, to say the least.

 

Encyclopedia Dramatica personnel also use cloudflare.com to somehow mask who their actual host is. I'm quite sure it is limehost.ro (now known as Voxility) who is hosting Encyclopedia Dramatica these days. I've emailed them before and it seems no-one is willing to help me on the matter, as I don't get a proper response. There was a blogger who used to help me in regards to their activities, but when I kept asking him / her the same sort of questions, that person become irritated and declined to help me any further.

 

CloudFlare are also just completely wasting my time and not giving up the name of their real host. They gave me srsvps.com as the host name before after they asked that I supply them with my personal details, but I know encyclopediadramatica.se is hosted on that server. I've just been needing to know who hosts SrsVPS so that I may send an abuse report and they just muck me around, claiming I need a legitimate reason for them to provide me with the name of their host. I'm not really wanting my address to be plastered all over the net. Now, do I?

 

The trouble is, Romania does not have to abide to any DMCA takedown requests, although the website is just generally harassing myself and various other people. It never ends. I believe I've tried all I can try, without having to fork out hundreds of pounds in legal resources, that is. What else can I really try?

 

Thank you for your time. A concerned Internet user.

[David H. Lipman]

I think you understand the situation very well.

 

It is hard to get a host to properly act under a DMCA Takedown Notification and many times a Counter Notification bears more weight from a disguised entity than the party harmed by the content.  In fact the party who is harmed by the copyrighted material has to jump through hoops to identify themselves but those served by the DMCA often accept unvetted Counter Notifications.

 

I wish I could give words of wisdom.  Their may be none and this may have a cost associated with it because you may have to get relief by through courts by an order of injunction.

 

It gets worse if you are a US citizen and the web site hosting company is not in the US or has offices in the US.

 

I wish you the best of luck in your endeavours!

[Toby_Jackson]

Well, I'm from Scotland. That certainly presents a problem. One reason they did in fact relocate to Romania was so they could carry on harassing people and using their images, but without getting in bother with DMCA notifications. The people behind ED are also hackers.

[David H. Lipman]

I had a friend in the UK (Stuart Saunders) who had a similar problem where his software code was being plagiarized on a regular basis by a US citizen who goes by the 'nym PCBUTTS1.

PCButts1 the legend

 

Butts loves propaganda... ( He writes a lot about me   )

 

http://www.pcbutts1.com/downloads/

 

So I fully understand and empathize your predicament.

[Toby_Jackson]

On Pastebin, they were recording people's passwords from when people joined their forums. I thought administrators of message boards could not see the outgoing welcome emails. That could be a serious crime. It's the same thing as fraud.