Content revised 21 October 2026.
When another site appears to copy your work, preserve the exact source and URLs before responding. Separate attribution, permissions and search visibility from assumptions about automatic penalties.
Keep a factual record
Save the original draft or publication record and the allegedly copied page with dates. Compare the actual material, including licensed or quoted portions. Check ownership and permissions rather than assuming every similar phrase establishes infringement.
Use the appropriate process
A publisher or host may have a contact or reporting route. Google also provides legal-removal processes for eligible claims. Review the current requirements and obtain suitable legal advice where rights or jurisdiction are uncertain; this article is not a legal determination.
Maintain your own content
Keep backups, attribution and correct technical signals. Do not delete a useful original page simply because a copy exists. Search canonicalisation and legal rights are different issues, and a complaint does not guarantee a particular search outcome.
Official guidance: Google legal-removal information.