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Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Stomping on the Little Guy...

Hello Everyone,

Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Cristina, and I run Book Club on facebook. Most of you know me as the Admin for three other pages.

In early 2009 I read a series of books called The Mortal Instruments by Cassandra Clare. In November of that year, I was lucky enough to meet Cassie when she came to Toronto. At that signing I asked her for her permission to create Official Facebook Pages for her work so that I might be able to share her Series with everyone. She gladly said I could, and so I did, making myself and Cassandra Clare rightful Admins.

I would like to inform those of you who do not know that I am not paid to do any of this. I have held numerous contests/giveaways where the prizes I have put up came out of my own pocket. Viviane Hebel,  who designs the Mortal Instruments and Infernal Devices jewelry,  can vouch for me on this. I do it purely because I love Cassie's work and I think Cassie is an amazing person and deserve everything she could ever want.

In early 2011 I was approached by a man who claimed to work for the publishing company for Simon & Schuster. He told me he was in charge of creating the Mortal Instruments page on Facebook. He saw my Page asked me to let them have admin rights as my page was already well established.

I refused him stating that I thought it would be unfair that he would have claim to all the work I put into the page and I would lose my admin rights. (I do not have proof of this conversation as I delete the post, but it was read by an outside party who can verify my statement is true.)

I was then approached by a lady by the name of Rachel Kory, on April 9, 2012 who claimed to be an admin of the Simon & Schuster Facebook page We had this conversation: 
The purpose of Facebook page is to bring the members of Facebook who like that topic together in a community to discuss that topic and share thoughts and opinions. I have done so by gathering all the information you post out there on the web (Facebook, tmblr, Twitter, official webpages) and putting them in one convenient location. I have committed no copyright infringement.  I have not stated that the information on the page is mine nor that I own any of the material posted. I just posted pictures and information which other fans have done. But if what Rachel said is true, then Simon & Schuster have to approach every other fan page on Facebook and the internet for the Mortal Instruments who do not have permission to use the photos, images, words ect...and tell them the same thing. Otherwise I am unjustly being singled out for what all of the other fans have done.

I have contacted Cassandra who confirmed that she does not have the copyrights to the series, Simon & Schuster owns them.  Cassandra further stated that she has had no knowledge of the conversation between Rachel and myself, which would stipulate that what Rachel had told me (Cassie wants me to relay the following message...) was a lie. Cassandra has put in a phone call to the head of online at Simon and Schuster and would let me know the upshot. Sadly the page was merged before Cassie hear back from them.

As It is now April 11, 2012 at 4:30pm EST and my Mortal Instruments Facebook Page has been merged with the one from Simon & Schuster and no longer exists. Three years of work has been erased. I still have the Official Infernal Devices Page on Facebook and the Official Dark Artifices Facebook Page, though I do not know for how much longer.

I wanted all of you to know why my page is no longer there and that it is out of my hands. 

Should you wish to stay in contact with me I have this blog here with Twitter and Facebook links posted at the top of the page on the left hand side.

All the Best.
Crissi

~UPDATE~
As of 10:30pm EST on April 11, 2012, The Simon and Schuster's Mortal Instruments Page temporary disabled fans from posting on the wall so they could delete the 20+ comments (which held Simon and Schuster in a negative light) they received about this situation.


~UPDATE~
As of 11:30pm EST on April 12, 2012 Cassandra Clare and I have agreed that while I am unable to change the ULR for the Facebook pages The Infernal Devices and The Dark Artifices, I did change the welcome message to Official Fan Page.


~UPDATE~
As of April 21, 2012 I have created a new page to replace the one taken from me. You can find it here: https://www.facebook.com/theofficialmortalinstruments

33 comments:

  1. Wow, I can't believe that. Why would they find the need to bring up that lie in the first place?

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  2. OH MY GOSH!!! I can't believe you have had to go through all of this.. I'm sorry you have lost your site..
    I have to say I love the way this paget looks.. Great JOB!!!

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  3. i support you in all your endevours. and if they are claiming to have words from someone that they didn't say then you may be able to get damages out of it and restoration of work. its BS what they did considering its a fan page one endorsed by C. Clare herself...

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  4. Sooo sorry this is how it went down :( All YOUR hard work down the tubes for what..... because the series is getting more more famous and now becoming a movie and they went all the glory :(

    Hope you get to keep the other pages :)

    Good luck and keep up the GREAT work

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  5. That is just awful. Your page was one of my favourites :(

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  6. :( That is not right.... Thank YOU for providing us fans with updates and information on Cassie's books. So sorry that all your hard work is gone over one tiny little title. I would rather follow a fan like myself than a giant publishing company because at least a fan has read and cares about the books, the author, the story, and spreading the word to others. Not saying all publishing companies are horrible, but this one really gives them a bad name.
    I hope you continue updating your blog and I look forward to seeing more TMI/ID/DA posts!

    Keep your head up :)

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  7. That's ridiculous! I, for the one, am outraged at the lies S&S have made just to get what they want. What has the world come to where business pick on the little man? Oh wait... it's been like that for decades... Regardless, as long as they don't try to take down the Infernal Devices page I'll be fine. :/

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  8. Okay this ROYALLY SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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  9. What twats! That page was awesome just because they own pulishing rights or whatever doesn't mean they can delete your page! Thats practically destruction of private property, you should sue! Give me a link to this 'new page' I'm going to abuse them and tell them how disgusted I am!

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  10. Thank you for everything you have put into that page over the years. I am sorry you have had to go through this. Part of me hopes she gives them hell. Best of luck to you in the future, I hope this doesn't go any further. :( Do you plan to make another page?

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  11. How on earth can you assume to have the "Official" page if you are not the author or the publisher???? I don't deny that you have put a lot of work into the pages, but you have misrepresented yourself as being "official" when you are clearly not. I know that I for one, only "liked" your page because you fraudulently stated it was an "official" page. After reading some of your unprofessional status updates, it became very clear that you were not truly associated with Cassandra Clare. And, the way you have handled this particular situation is extremely unprofessional.

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    Replies
    1. I find that she handled the situation perfectly. As for "fraudulently stated it was an "official" page" she was running the page with the permission of Cassandra Clare who sometimes posted on the page herself.

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    2. I think the issue is not the official part since the one message clearly says she could be an "official fan-run page", they were just making sure that it couldn't be confused with the publisher run page.

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  12. I'm guessing the whole thing came about because you have so many fans, and it was competing with their page. In other words, they should have hired you to run their Facebook page, because you were doing a far better job than they ever could!

    All big entertainment companies seem to do this nowadays. Its really sad. Let's just stomp all over the true fans who love an artist's work. (I'm pretty good at sarcasm too ;) )

    I could go on and on, but I won't bore you. I'm sorry this happened. It just sucks. And what comes around goes around.

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  13. Wow that sucks. I really liked your TMI page. It was friendly and informal, which I liked. Most pages are very formal and strict and professional, which seems very impersonal. I liked yours and I loved the effort you put into it.
    But well done for trying to stand your ground. We appreciate you trying :)

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  14. How could they have merged the pages? I thought they couldn't do that. :/

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  15. wow, i'm so sorry this happened!
    and this is what they wrote in the information box on the page:
    'This is the Official Facebook page for the bestselling Mortal Instruments series, started and administered by the publisher, Simon & Schuster.'
    IT WAS NOT STARTED BY THEM! how could they lie about it! :/... you shouldve deleted it instead of giving it to them x

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  16. Sorry to hear this. In all honesty I lost trust in Ms. Clare and Co. sometime back. As a fan of the books, I greatly appreciated all of your hard work.

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  17. This is crap... total utter crap. Did you know if you are located in Canada, what they did is not allowed... i would look up your rights to own this page!!! Simon and Shuster is an USA company. Facebook is affected by individual country rules. They should not have been able to do what they did! Look into it, try and get it back!!! Fight for the little guy!! You deserve it!

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  18. That sucks so majorly. I have liked all of your pages and hugely appreciate all the hard work that you put into them. So sorry that this happened to you, but good on you for sticking up for yourself and your page. Hope that they don't take your ID and TDA pages as well.

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  19. Hi Crissi...

    Were you contacted by facebook before S&S took over your page??

    Here is some of the info in Facebooks policy...
    "What happens to my account when Facebook acts on an allegation that I have infringed someone's intellectual property rights?
    Depending on the specifics of your case, you will be contacted by Facebook about the allegation and possible next steps. Please note that if you repeatedly infringe other people's intellectual property rights, we will disable your account when appropriate."

    Something to look into and try and claim it back...

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  20. Oh, another thing, people posted items onto your page, and they have the right to take them back according to facebook... they own the rights to things they upload... not S&S...

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  21. well they suck and i am glad cassandra clare got ahold of u... i am so sorry that crap happened and u should make another website

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  22. Crissi - This is clearly a legal CYA stunt because they cannot control you nor you posts. I pesonally loved your page, and appreciated ALL the hard work you did, contests, special posts, links, recommendations, etc . Social media is by the people, for the people, and this was a true fan site that you put your wondeful heart into for us. thank you, thank you - and shame on S and S for taking over. A better move would have been to reach out to you as a consultant and work with them, but sometimes corporate does not "get it". I understand that "official" means "legally repesented", but it squashes the enthusiasm and creativity that makes this medium GREAT! Keep pushing forward Crissi, we love what you do.

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  23. I think you may be missing something here. Cassandra Clare would have had to be cooperating with S&S in order for them to take over your page. You said you made her an administrator and that only admins can affect a page. Since you obviously were not cooperating with them, she obviously was.

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  24. Boo on S&S!! That's beyond rude of them and I would fight for you page back. I know you probably don't have a lot of time seeing as your a student (I think) and you have other pages but that is just wrong! You've worked way to hard and have fought some pretty negtive things for them to just come in and take it from you like that. I for on like you better then S&S!

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  25. Frankly I think you may have missed an opportunity here. I don't actually see anything wrong with their initial email, especially as they were not asking you to take your page down, just asking that you make it clear that it is a fan-run page and not run by the publisher (which as far as I can tell is what your page was. A very well done page, run by a fan and not affiliated with the publisher). At that point I would have asked them to work together- them from the corporate side and you from the fan side. Legally speaking they have every right to go after you for both intellectual property and fraudulent claims, I think that I would have tried to work the system (it's a tough one to beat) instead I think you probably burned some bridges. Posting your private correspondence for the whole world to see and putting Cassie in the middle of the dispute may do more harm then good in the long run. hopefully it works out for you.

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  26. Read the FB terms of service.
    I. General
    A. Only authorized representatives may administer a Page for a brand, entity (place or organization), or public figure.
    B. Any user may create a Page to express support for or interest in a brand, entity (place or organization), or public figure, provided that it is not likely to be confused with an official Page or violate someone's rights.

    Suck it up and realize that you should have had a WRITTEN agreement. You had the chance to be the "Official Fan Page" which is a helluva cool thing, but you turned it down. Move on and let it go. Right now you're making Cassie Clare look bad. You're negatively impacting her fanbase.

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  27. The publishing company was also named as part of the antitrust lawsuit from the federal gov. Today

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  28. I'm sorry to hear or well read that, I hope you can work something out!! best wishes!!! =)

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  29. I am soo sorry! I was worried that they had some sort of back-door way of merging the sights! I was waiting to buy a ticket to her event outside Chicago, next month, to hear how she handled this. I guess I am glad she didn't have a hand in it, but I know that doesn't help much now....

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  30. It just goes to show you that people are money hungry and try to rule everything. I'm sorry to hear that your going through all of this. It's a corporate game that their all playing and they can't make money off of something that is free. Big Brother is always trying to stick it to you!!!

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