Photo by Markus Spiske: https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-photo-of-matrix-background-1089438 /  As an indie author, protecting your intellectual property in a world of digital piracy and widespread unauthorized distribution is no easy feat. With the recent rise in visibility of platforms like the LibGen database , which provides free access to pirated books, it's becoming increasingly clear that copyright laws and the systems that enforce them are not keeping up with the challenges of the digital age. For indie authors, the question remains: How can we protect our work from piracy while still maintaining an affordable, accessible price point that attracts readers? While the traditional publishing industry has long been aware of the problems posed by piracy, indie authors face a unique set of challenges. Unlike major publishers, indie authors typically work with much smaller budgets and rely heavily on eBook sales to generate income. For us, protecting our work often comes with...

The digital equivalent of someone selling stolen electronics or meat out of the back of a van, appearing on one corner one day and another the next.  Recent revelations about Meta’s use of copyrighted material for AI training have reignited concerns about how our creative works are being exploited. While Meta’s actions are troubling, the deeper issue isn’t new. It’s one I’ve spoken about before, and one I’ll continue to emphasize. The problem lies not just in what corporations like Meta are doing, but in how easily this exploitation is enabled. For decades, authors, artists, content creators, and consumers of our work, have been unknowingly, or carelessly, feeding the beast. The right hand (AI) has our attention right now, but the left hand is still stealing our wallet. The Problem We Helped Create I’ve long cautioned about the risks of uploading books, documents, and images to websites and software platforms without fully understanding the terms of service. Many creators have ...