Someone Copied My Work

[DevSQL]

Hi, I maintain few Chrome extensions and today discovered that another developer has copied one of my extension and re-published on Chrome store from his account with small (just adding localization files etc) changes. This guy has copied many more extensions from other developers as well.

Here is the URL of his copied extension:  https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/sqlite-manager/aejlocbcokogiclkcfddhfnpajhejmeb

Here is my original extension: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/sqlite-manager/njognipnngillknkhikjecpnbkefclfe

As said above, this guy has copied many more extensions from other developers. For example, his Cool Cursors (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/cool-cursors/empjidjbllcmlgaobahepkijkfmfkjdb) is a copy of popular Custom Cursor for Chrome (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/custom-cursor-for-chrome/ogdlpmhglpejoiomcodnpjnfgcpmgale) extension. 

His Incognito This Tab (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/incognito-this-tab/jajmadiegnbnkgolmlpkdpfdibjckblp) is copy of another extension with the same name (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/incognito-this-tab/nhockicmnnjibbhgcpphjicilgcfehdi)

Don't know if I should file DMCA. Chrome team should take a look into this and suspend his account. Any help?

[DS Team]

I know it feels terrible.  Suspending their accounts and removing such clones one is still a short term fix, we should demand for long term fix here. It is been happening since from the beginning and the chrome dev team did nothing so far to prevent this.

Ideally, publish your abstract code, idea, screenshots etc. on your own website with copyrights declared, then you may defend it legally.

Chrome Team in CC, can you please answer these questions?
1. How are you going to STOP these cloning problem? 
2. Developers are spending years of time and energy, so how are you going to protect them and their extensions?
3. Only chrome team should have an access to the code and review it, end user might do anything with the code, where's the basic security here?

4. Just because Chrome is open source, doesn't mean everything in it is free to copy/clone, especially copyright and patented ideas, how do you frame these policies?

[DevSQL]

Any update or help on this? All copied extensions are still live on Chrome Web Store. 

On Friday, November 29, 2019 at 2:10:30 AM UTC+5:30, DevSQL wrote:

[DevSQL]

No response or action from Chrome team so far. On one hand they are delaying extension updates even for small meta data (non code) changes, and on the other hand, they are just allowing scammers to steal others' work and upload other's extension with tracking code. 

The above reported guy has created more than ten of extensions by copying source code of other extensions and adding his tracking code and ad notifications to them. Surprisingly, his crapwares get approved to CWS frequently. Genuine extension developers are just frustrating with Chrome Web Store team. 

I request Simeon @dotproto to please help me on this, and suspend this guy's developer account, or at least delete his copied extensions. Please, it is really heart-breaking.

[Guilherme Dellagustin]

Hello,

I checked both extensions on the store.

They seem very similar, and the name is certainly almost identical.

Have you checked if the author of https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/sqlite-manager/aejlocbcokogiclkcfddhfnpajhejmeb copied also your code?

I will have to be honest with you, I don't expect Google to act as a Intelectual Property judge in cases like this, or even, I don't think google can take down the extension if it is not violating any of the Chrome Web Store terms, and it could potentially be sued for that.

To my understating, you will have to legally claim your rights.

It is important now for your to understand what your rights are by law, so I would advise you to seek help of a specialized lawyer.

Big disclaimer now, I am not a lawyer and I can't give you any kind of legally binding advice, I can only tell you what I should do if I were in this situation:

I would first try to contact the owner of the extension, and try to reach an agreement (everything recorded in written form, so that it can be used later in case you go to court).

If that does not work (and based on your description, I am assuming it will not), then I would seek legal advice.

I hope this helps somehow.

I wish you good luck.

Best Regards,

Guilherme.