To be shocked and hurt by this

[SquirrelsAndNuts]

I didn't know what to put as a title. I do feel shocked. And I think a little hurt.

I have a friend I met a few years ago. We are in the same line of work. We live quite far away from each other. There’s around a couple of hundred miles between us, but we stay in touch regularly. 
Anyway, we were chatting this week about work, and I decided to have a quick look on her website. 
I was shocked to see that she has copied and pasted everything from my website onto her own. It’s all the same - word for word. 
I don’t think at all this will have a negative impact on my business. But I just feel so shocked by this. I’m not sure if I also feel quite hurt? Or foolish? I couldn’t quite believe it at first. 

I really don’t know what to do. Part of me wants to do nothing and pretend that I haven’t seen it, but I also would prefer for her to remove it. However, I don’t want to risk hurting her or embarrassing her, or jeopardising our friendship.  
What would you do? 

[LorenzoVonMatterhorn]

Definitely ask her to remove it

[Chikapu]

Does it really matter if she's embarrassed? She should be and needs to take her website down.

[TestingTestingWonTooFree]

You can’t ignore this.

[Tal45]

Why would you want to be friends with and protect someone who steals from you? That's the bottom line.

[Anonymice1]

Who cares if she’s embarressed. She should be!

[DontBiteTheBoobThatFeedsYou]

What kind of business is it?

You don't have to say, I'm just being nosey.

She may be a friend but she's taken you for a mug a bit there.
She knows full well it's not an OK think to do.
We all learned at school it's not ok to copy, and if she has further education she'll know how strict the rules of plagiarism are and why.

But not just that - it's your own words, ideas, concepts and hard work.

She didn't even bother to re-word it!

I'm getting more annoyed on your behalf as I type!

[DontBiteTheBoobThatFeedsYou]

@TestingTestingWonTooFree

You can’t ignore this.

No you can't, because it will fester.

If it bothers you, it will keep bothering you.

[DrSbaitso]

Well clearly you need to talk to her about it. You can do it in a non-confrontational way but you do need to be prepared to stand your ground.

[Divebar2021]

I think you’re under reacting massively and without wishing to seem harsh you also don’t seem to be very business focused. You can’t allow individuals to steal content and then not address it because you’re worried about embarrassing them.

[IMarchToADifferentDrummer]

Get your guns out, Annie, it's time to shoot her down for plagiarism!!

You've worked hard for your business, where does she get the idea that she can just copy you?

[Thethreecs]

Is it the same line of work? Are the addresses similar?

One of my brother's had this with someone he did not know copy his logo, most of the content and even had 'him' having wrote a review for this company.

As the work is similar and the addresses were similar (one word different), many people ended up on this other site by accident and giving work to them thinking it was my brother's company.

My brother took them to the small claims court as they refused to change their website claiming it was them who had the content first and my brother who copied them. My brother won the case as he was able to get dates, times and payments when he got the website designed. He won on the grounds of copyrights and loss of earnings.(something along those lines, can't remember the exact words).

I'd say it to her, even if the company is different, no point you paying out for a Web design and her just copying it.

[WeDidntMeanToGoToSea]

Why would you be worried about jeopardising the friendship when she has put a bomb under it by doing this? And why would you care about her embarrassment?

You need to find some boundaries (vital in business - ask me how I know) and ask her in a short, factual message to remove the content she appears to have copied from your website or you will be taking more formal steps.

I'd be revamping my website after this IIWY, but you don't have to tell her that.

[Eddielzzard]

She is the one who has damaged your relationship. I would send her an email and say you've looked at her website and are shocked and upset. Please can she remove everything she's copied?

She should know she's fucked up. Don't let this go!

A friendship where someone can do this to you without a qualm isn't one I'd be too keen on keeping.

[summercupcake]

She's not your friend, she's staying in touch to get the low down on your business.

[TedMullins]

@Divebar2021

I think you’re under reacting massively and without wishing to seem harsh you also don’t seem to be very business focused. You can’t allow individuals to steal content and then not address it because you’re worried about embarrassing them.

This! I’d be getting a legal letter drafted immediately, how can you even contemplate ignoring this?

[mrsbitaly]

Is there a way to say you will be happy to help her make her website great without duplicating yours?

[TrueRefuge]

Err well she's in breach of copyright surely, if you have a copyright notice on your website?

You MUST confront her, this is such CFery! I'd feel very used and wouldnt be able to not bring this up. What kind of friend does this? An actual friend would ask you for advice: "I love your website, and you're doing so well! Could I pick your brain for a couple of hours one afternoon? Lunch is on me!" That's how a real friend would have handled this. Not flagrantly stealing your work from under your nose.

[LorenzoVonMatterhorn]

Send an email to her saying theres a copyright issue and she needs to rekove the contact by the close of the day.

Tomorrow Send an email to the company that powers the website and say the same. Copyright issue.

[Bluntness100]

I’m not sure, you say it won’t impact on you at all and you’re a fair distance apart, many businesses a fair distance apart wouldn’t have an impact on each other.

She’s copied as she’s struggling and you’re not. I don’t know if it doesn’t do you any harm and you’re sure of it, then I’m not sure I would be too bothered.

[Bluntness100]

Where does the op say her content is copyrighted?

[onelittlefrog]

@Bluntness100

Where does the op say her content is copyrighted?

Any original creative content that you make is automatically copyrighted.

If OP wrote it then it is copyrighted to OP by default. You don't have to do anything.

[Holly60]

Ok it sounds like you like her and want to maintain the friendship.

How about ‘hi X, was just looking at your website and saw that some of it is really similar to mine. No worries about that but at some point did you want me to help you edit it so it’s even more relevant to your business?’

Then see what she says?

[onelittlefrog]

I think it's awful that she copied it without even asking you.

It sounds like if she asked you might have been fine with it, especially as it has little/ no impact on you.

But to just steal and reproduce someone else's creative work without permission is terrible.

[onelittlefrog]

@Holly60

Ok it sounds like you like her and want to maintain the friendship.

How about ‘hi X, was just looking at your website and saw that some of it is really similar to mine. No worries about that but at some point did you want me to help you edit it so it’s even more relevant to your business?’

Then see what she says?

I feel like that skirts around the issue tbh. Especially offering to help - they've already taken advantage of OP's work!

Honestly, I would be more direct, even if I wanted to maintain the friendship. They know that they copied it and you have to assert yourself otherwise things like this may keep happening. You can do so politely but still in no uncertain terms that they shouldn't have copied your content without asking.