Jerk.com – Dealing with Online Harassment & Cyberbullying

UPDATE: First, please realize that IPWatchdog is not in any way affiliated with Jerk.com. We are a blog reporting on intellectual property and Internet issues.  Second, since this article was initially published Amazon.com has severed ties with Jerk.com. Third, if you wish to try and get removed please see Jerk.com: Who to Contact to Get Removed (published on IPWatchdog.com 1/18/2013).

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Jerk.com is perhaps the most abusive and offensive website on the Internet.  In addition to encouraging the voting on whether people are jerks they allow the most vile commentary to be published.  I can’t think of anything else to call this other than cyber bullying.  Not only are they engaging in widespread harassment of unsuspecting, innocent and helpless individuals — INCLUDING CHILDREN — but they are also engaged in widespread copyright infringement.

I have never had more e-mail inquiries from a single article than I received from the article I wrote just 5 weeks ago titled Using U.S. Copyright Law to Get Removed from Jerk.com.  The Digital Millennium Copyright Act makes it easy to get copyrighted materials removed from the Internet because if a proper demand is made and there is no removal than the entity that hosts the infringing content is liable for the copyright infringement.  Webhosting companies are immune from copyright infringement lawsuits if they promptly remove infringing material when notified.  For reasons I cannot explain Jerk.com has not removed copyrighted material even after being properly notified.  What is more curious is that Amazon.com is hosting the Jerk.com material on its servers, which means Amazon.com has opened itself up to extraordinary liability. I know there are people already investigating class action lawsuits against Jerk.com, and Amazon.com will of course be made a party for their failure to take action where the law requires action to be taken.

Since I wrote the aforementioned article a little bit has changed.  The Jerk.com website continues to explain in arrogant terms that they will never remove anyone, saying

Just because you have a profile on Jerk does not mean you are a jerk. Less than 5% of the millions of people on Jerk are jerks. Jerk is where you find out if someone is a jerk, is not a jerk, or is a saint in the eyes of others. No one`s profile is ever removed because Jerk is based on searching free open internet searching databases and it`s not possible to remove things from the Internet. You can however use Jerk to manage your reputation and resolve disputes with people who you are in conflict with.

An Internet company actually saying that they cannot remove a profile is laughably absurd.  It is this type of condescending attitude that has really irked me, which means I am going to be like a dog with a bone on this one I assure you.  But what is even more absurd is that federal, state and local authorities are allowing this type of willful and intentional harassment of children to go on right out in the open.  It is pathetic that a company like Amazon.com is involved in the harassment of children.  Simply inexplicable.

What has changed since my article ran is that Jerk.com now explains the mechanism to get copyrighted material removed.  While they say they won’t take down a profile they claim to respect the rights of artists and creators, and they have the following instructions on getting copyrighted content removed from their website:

Copyright Infringement Notification

To file a copyright infringement notification with us, you will need to send a written communication that includes substantially the following (please consult your legal counsel or see Section 512(c)(3) of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act to confirm these requirements):

  1. A physical or electronic signature of a person authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.
  2. Identification of the copyrighted work claimed to have been infringed, or, if multiple copyrighted works at a single online site are covered by a single notification, a representative list of such works at that site.
  3. Identification of the material that is claimed to be infringing or to be the subject of infringing activity and that is to be removed or access to which is to be disabled, and information reasonably sufficient to permit the service provider to locate the material.Providing URLs in the body of an email is the best way to help us locate content quickly.
  4. Information reasonably sufficient to permit the service provider to contact the complaining party, such as an address, telephone number, and, if available, an electronic mail address at which the complaining party may be contacted.
  5. A statement that the complaining party has a good faith belief that use of the material in the manner complained of is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law.
  6. A statement that the information in the notification is accurate, and under penalty of perjury, that the complaining party is authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed.

To expedite our ability to process your request, such written notice should be sent to our designated agent via our online copyright complaint form below. You will need a Jerk account in order to utilize this tool.

Copyright Complaint Webform

If you would prefer to contact us by mail please send your mail to:

DMCA Complaints
Jerk LLC
16192 Coastal Hwy. Lewes, DE 19958
USA

What is extraordinarily insulting is that to use the online copyright complaint webform you have to be open a Jerk.com account.  Without a Jerk.com account YOU HAVE TO PAY $25 BY CREDIT CARD!  Have these people no shame?  This is well across the line and horribly offensive.

The photographs that Jerk.com allows people to post are copyrighted.  The law says that they are copyrighted immediately upon fixation in a tangible medium of expression, so they are copyrighted even without having a federal copyright registration.  If you are ultimately going to sue Jerk.com and Amazon.com in federal court, which someone will eventually do in a very public and embarrassing lawsuit for Amazon.com, you will need to have a federal copyright registration.  If you complete the copyright filing online at the United States Copyright Office the cost is only $35.

In the meantime, here is what you are going to do.  Use this Jerk.com DMCA Notification and send it to the real world address listed above.  Also copy Amazon.com.  You might even want to send these to Jerk.com and Amazon.com in some manner that will provide you evidence that it was received, whether using USP, FedEx or US Postal Service consider getting some kind of delivery confirmation.  Signature shouldn’t be required, just something to prove that it was actually delivered.

Apparently, Jerk.com and Amazon.com are ignoring DMCA notifications sent via e-mail.  In fact, Amazon.com seems to be completely ignoring the requirements of the DMCA by doing nothing other than passing DMCA takedown notices along to the party doing the infringing.  This has come to light recently with Pinterest.  See Mashable article. It seems Amazon.com likes to use the DMCA, but they don’t like to allow copyright owners to use the DMCA in a usable manner. See here and here, for example.  Just look at the Amazon.com online abuse form, which requires the submitter to identify source IP addresses and logs, neither of which is required to be provided a webhost under the explicit terms of the DMCA.

Up until dealing with Jerk.com and Amazon Web Services I have never had an e-mail notification ignored like this, but the DMCA does allow them to identify the recipient of the complaint, so send it via real world mail.  To the best of your ability also use the Amazon.com online abuse form.  If you do that and Jerk.com does not remove your copyrighted photographs please let me know.

What else can be done?  In addition to facilitating harassment online and facilitating widespread copyright infringement, Jerk.com is also engaging in widespread misappropriation of the right of publicity or likeness.  State law in most jurisdictions prohibits anyone from using your name or likeness without your permission.  So if you are really upset with Jerk.com and you want to sue them, and Amazon.com, the law already provides that opportunity.

Hopefully our elected leaders will step in and do something.  Congress should hold hearings on this type of Internet bullying that is being perpetrated by Jerk.com and facilitated by Amazon.com.  So in addition to sending the DMCA Notification letter to the real world address above you should write and/or call your Representatives in the House and your U.S. Senators.  For listings see visit Directory of Representatives and Senators of the 112th Congress.  You may also want to contact the Department of Justice, your State Attorney General and local officials, even school officials and members of the local School Board if you know of a situation where Jerk.com is being used to harass children.

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Join the Discussion

38 comments so far.

  • [Avatar for Lorraine]
    Lorraine
    March 4, 2013 03:08 pm

    Hello, I too have found out that someone, and I believe it was my sister, has put my name on this website. I believe it was her, because at the time, I didn’t have a facebook account and she had helped me. I had used my baby daughter’s picture for the facebook account. My mother was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer, and the mess that ensued was horrendous. My sister was the only one that had access to my account and pictures. I know that this would be something she is capable of, revenge is her M.O. I contacted Jerk.com and they basically stated that I have to pay to have good things said about me, and they could not and would not remove a profile that wasn’t allowed much less, provided by me. I have tried several things that have been posted on this site. As for finding out the numbers underneath the page as Nazma had stated, I really don’t understand or can only find this :p13073857. I don’t know what to do at this point. Any help would be greatly appreciated,. I too have contacted the BBB, and heard nothing.

  • [Avatar for Anonymous]
    Anonymous
    February 15, 2013 10:57 am

    So far it’s not looking good at all, the petition only received 41 out of the 100,000; signatures requires. You guys have to increase awareness if we want to stand a chance. Th petition closes in a week and it will simply fail without 100,000 signatures.

  • [Avatar for Family Exploited]
    Family Exploited
    February 11, 2013 11:51 am

    jerk.com is down at the moment. Has there been any advancements?
    I have found this
    MinnesotaAttorney
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xnve5Hs-Rrw

  • [Avatar for B.D.]
    B.D.
    January 30, 2013 12:23 pm

    https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/take-down-jerkcom-cyberbullying-and-copyright-infringement/3vpvm04l

    The above link is to a white house petition to remove this site.

  • [Avatar for Linda Bumpass]
    Linda Bumpass
    January 15, 2013 09:11 pm

    I wish you all the force behind a giant knee in the nuts as you deal with these people, Gene;-) It is so refreshing to see someone latch onto them like a bulldog. Thanks! I was surprised to learn I’m on the jerk site this year, and yet not so surprised because it is just another peg in 2 years of internet bullying by any number of people. I saw the question about the unusual name here among your commenters and LOL I can relate!:) Being a professional and 26 year employee of a big nice fat innovative American corporation, keeping my nose clean for many decades, and having a couple of patents from my work as well (I see you are a patent attorney), it is a bit mind boggling to see that people can just go out on the internet and basically accuse me of murder and whatever else tips their fancy yet unless I have a big wallet and a lot of time there isn’t much I can do about it. Just today I read how I am a predator on thedirty.com by a stalker who has been knawing on me for a couple of years now. I’m typically pretty low key. Just want to go to work, relax with friends in my off time, and have an interesting life. After 2 years of bullying by crazy people who I suspect don’t even have a job other than to harass on the internet, I’m almost to the point that it It is tempting to just go ahead and personally assault them and just go to jail for the first time in my life LOL:) Seriously, it would give me some measure of satisfaction since the laws don’t seem to be there for me!!!:)

  • [Avatar for Anonymous]
    Anonymous
    January 5, 2013 06:14 pm

    Hi Gene,

    Many thanks for your advice, at least it’s good to know I’m not alone in standing against this site. How could these people have no shame? Law enforcement officials need to shut the site down. But just wondering, are JERK LLC’s practices legal as the site claims it is?

    Anonymous

  • [Avatar for B]
    B
    December 14, 2012 10:18 am

    Hello,

    Would I be able to remove the link from Google search results?

    I found this, http://support.google.com/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=1663688

    But after filling out the web form, right before submitting it, I was unsure whether my photo and unique name is actually “copyright” to me… It’s my photo and its only ever been on Facebook, but because it has been uploaded to my Facebook profile do I surrender rights to the image?

    It says right at the end of the form;

    “IMPORTANT: If you knowingly misrepresent that material or activity is infringing, you may be subject to liability for damages. Accordingly, if you are not sure whether material available online infringes your copyright, we suggest that you first contact a lawyer.

    If your concern is not related to copyright, do not submit your request here.

    For information about resolving non-legal issues, please visit the Google help forums. If you have another legal reason for requesting content removal from Google, please go back to our main page to make the appropriate selection.

    Please don’t make false claims”

    Please help! If I cant remove the jerk.com profile of mself, I want to at least remove it from Google seach results.

    Thanks,
    B

  • [Avatar for BAC]
    BAC
    November 20, 2012 03:26 am

    To remove a page from google’s cache (page must have changed) http://support.google.com/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=1663660

  • [Avatar for random person]
    random person
    November 16, 2012 09:23 am

    dear Z baby/Captain Planet,

    thank you very very very much for your post. im really glad that you shared this solution to us.

    im not really sure if they will terminate my “account” permanently or revive it when “i turned 14” which is 2 years from now. to those who needs help please try what Z baby post.

    the only problem now is the google search. my page in the website is already dead but i can still see the result in google. does anyone know how long it would take.

  • [Avatar for Laura]
    Laura
    November 12, 2012 05:48 pm

    Well…. I have not tried the DMCA complaint letter as of yet because I just found this information today BUT I’m currently seeking employment and my photos from a PRIVATE FB page have been on Jerk.com for a couple years. I did a google search today to see if anything new popped up because I’m getting nothing but rejection.

    A few months ago I did ask them (jerk.com) to remove my info and they wanted a fee after I submitted the information. I stopped there. However… I now have a vote for being a jerk! And everytime I go to jerk.com a popup of my picture comes up asking me to vote on stupid questions about myself! So now it seems they have now waged a bit of a war on me for not paying for their service! I’m tempted to pay the fee but wonder if this will get me off of their site.

    I feel I’m being blackmailed and wonder whats going to happen next. I wish I would have never provided the http to them locating where my pics are. I think they now know everytime I check their page to see if new votes about me have taken a worse turn.

  • [Avatar for Hurt and feeling helpless]
    Hurt and feeling helpless
    October 31, 2012 06:13 am

    I have a profile that was created on Jerk.com that can be found by searching my first marrie
    d name (I’ve been divorced since 2000) and my second married name which is hyphenated with my maiden and new married name which makes it one of a kind. Oddly enough the profile does not come up if you search just my maiden name.h
    My other unique problem is this, the “photos” that are posted on the profile are not of me. They are of a controversial celebrity that has the same first name as I do and a very general similar appearance, which I believe has resulted in my profile receiving a larger number of votes because I believe people see the celebrity and think they are voting about her, not me. The actual “Profile Picture” that was used scrolls through altered (photoshopped?) versions of South Park characters. While both of these are obvious copyright infringements I do not own the copyrights to the images being used and thus cannot sue them for copyright infringement personally. I would greatly appreciate your advice on the best way to get this disgusting, hateful, and hurtful profile and associated linked names removed from Jerk.com given the unique circumstances I am having to deal with.

    personally. What would your advice be on how I can get this rediculous and hurtful profile removed from Jerks.com quickly and permanently?!

  • [Avatar for Z baby]
    Z baby
    October 20, 2012 11:12 am

    HELLO EVERYONE. I am here to solve your problems.

    I have dealt with this scumbag company to remove other users profiles who did not deserve the hate. If you send an e-mail to info@jerk.com or support@jerk.com (send it to both to piss them off and crowd up their e-mails) with the subject line “USER _____ REMOVAL – TERMS OF SERVICE VIOLATION” they MUST remove your page. Its a FTC terms and condition in their privacy policy. Remember to add the first and last name of the profile.

    Also, they HAVE to remove the page if the user is underage. So you can write? something like this in your e-mail.

    “User __________ is 13 years old. Remove profile. Terms and conditions/terms of service have been violated”

    Watch this video ….my comments are also listed underneath the video
    http://youtu.be/Xnve5Hs-Rrw

    And the Chariman of Netcapital (I’m assuming owners of this website) accidently sent me an e-mail instead of his colleagues. So I even have his contact info, please direct all these COMMENTS and your personal stories to this individual. JOHN FANNING (Chairman, Netcapital). His office number is 781-925-1600, his cell phone is 650-814-8800. Find him on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/gninnaf or on twitter at http://www.twitter.com/john_fanning

    I want this message to be reached to everyone whose been bullied or tormented especially through cyber bullying! I know this webpage requires an e-mail address to be put before you can add a comment.

    Euguene Quinn, could you PLEASE collect the previous e-mails of all the comments listed above and send them this information.

    Hope this helps everyone.

    Captain Planet

  • [Avatar for Jeff]
    Jeff
    August 20, 2012 05:32 pm

    Hello all,

    More info on the matter; the attorney for jerk LLC is Ms Maria Crimi Speth.
    I do hope these comments are indexed as it would be good for people to find out which kind of customers – shady in this case – Ms Speth does work with.
    One should also know: the previous attorneys of the company left the case; bad business for them, and bad image.

    That being said Mr Quinn, I would like to request your expert view on the matter ; at her address, which is mcs@jaburgwilk.com, Ms Speth will reply that any Dmca takedown notice such as the one proposed here is not valid.
    Can you see why ? Personally I think it is valid, and plan to use attorney services to triple check this too. money is not a problem here, but for the principle, the website will rot in hell.

  • [Avatar for Nazma FOURRE]
    Nazma FOURRE
    June 4, 2012 06:00 pm

    As a victim of jerk.com, I have typed the profile number which has linked my name on jerk.com., by typing the profile number P57167796 found underneath found at the bottom of my page on jerk.com,, on google research tool engine. I discovered that it was a blogger using the site Hi5.com having the profile found on my page. The site Hi5.com is based in Canada and I have contacted the site to ask for the identity of this blogger on Hi5.com. Hope to get an answer.Curiously, my name does not send a link for the moment to jerk.com but I have saved the copy of the profile P57166796.
    Nazma FOURRE

  • [Avatar for Nazma FOURRE]
    Nazma FOURRE
    June 4, 2012 05:41 pm

    To all victims of Jerk.com
    Secrets of jerk.com
    Louis Lardas, sonia Lardas run the site jerk.com.
    Mr John Fanning is the founder of jerk.com.
    Other people are not excluded as well
    Profile linking names on Jerk.com has a number for instance starting with letter P plus some digits found underneath your page on jerk.com
    Type this profile number on google site tool engine will surely bring you to the person which has used the number on jerk.com
    You will surely come to the person who has linked your name on that site.
    This might help the investigations to be carried out.
    Please tell me what you think about it.
    Cheers
    Nazma FOURRE

  • [Avatar for Nazma FOURRE]
    Nazma FOURRE
    June 4, 2012 05:33 pm

    Attention to all victims of jerk.com
    To be able to find the other guility person who are proned to have linked names on jerk.com, here are some advices on how to make a small research
    . Check the profile number found underneath the page of your name on JerK.com.
    Go to google research tool engine and type the profile number, it will send you to the person using this profile number.
    Cheers
    Nazma FOURRE

  • [Avatar for ShadeOgray]
    ShadeOgray
    May 30, 2012 10:50 pm

    I would like your take on sites like mugshots.com and what can be done about them.

  • [Avatar for Nazma FOURRE]
    Nazma FOURRE
    May 28, 2012 05:09 pm

    An equitable remedy is what law could be able to establish if the decency act is modified. Equitable remedy complements common law, it does not crush it. So the equitable remedy will be an injunction for companies like jerk.com to stop their operation immediately.

    Please reply, urgently!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    Nazma FOURRE

  • [Avatar for Nazma FOURRE]
    Nazma FOURRE
    May 28, 2012 05:06 pm

    Please everybody online can someone make a petition to submit to the american autorities for an equitable remedy regarding sites which are stealing internet users names online?

  • [Avatar for Nazma FOURRE]
    Nazma FOURRE
    May 25, 2012 06:40 pm

    Dear attorney
    Harrassement of jerk.com is still continuing and the need to make a collective complaint is a must. The people hidding behind jerk.com are Louis Lardas, Sonia Lardas, and John Fanning.
    Nazma FOURRE

  • [Avatar for Nazma FOURRE]
    Nazma FOURRE
    May 18, 2012 06:28 pm

    Hostgator is hidding behind article 230 of the communications decency act and said that he cannot remove contents from jerk.com without court decision for an injunction, knowingly that an injuction is an equitable remedy and so far as the legislation is vague regarding the cyber bullying act and the communications decency act when no prior concern is given regarding an equitable remedy as an injunction for instance a banning order for jerk.com to operate or about the possibilitiesof obtaining moral damages for the victims.
    These texts accordingly and apparently do not fit the human convention rights in terms of privacy and dignity of jerk.com .Jerk.com which is stealing internet users information from social network like face book is violating human rights convention namely people’s privacy online and rating them as an object marks clearly that it is violating their dignity on line and this too is against the convention of human rights. Laws need to be modified.
    Let us all victims of jerk.com be strong, stand together, and forward petitions for banning jerk.com online.
    Nazma FOURRE

  • [Avatar for Nazma FOURRE]
    Nazma FOURRE
    May 11, 2012 09:58 pm

    Please attorney
    Please make a petition on line following up my suggestions about the banning of jerk.com

    Thanks
    Nazma FOURRE

  • [Avatar for Nazma FOURRE]
    Nazma FOURRE
    May 11, 2012 09:47 pm

    The cyber bullying act needs to be ammended and provision should be made in a sense that all the cyberbullying companies should not be authorised to exercise. Regarding Jerk.com, I wonder why it is still operated and shoud the cyberbullying act be fully clear and consise, and not vague, it would have been better construed and interpreted. So this bill need to be reviewed and necessary provisions should be adjusted regarding the possibilty of a gathered civil roam complaints of all victims of jerk.com.
    Let us propose a bill: “Be it enacted, that the jerk.com is violating the human rights which is in the convention of the human rights, a preamble which binds national us law”
    “Be it enacted that this preamble is the supreme one binding English law”
    “Be it enacted that English law is applied in England, wales, scotland and Northern Ireland as well as the US”
    “Be it enacted that the company which has registered Jerk.com is found in the United States and accordingly should be abided by English law”
    In the name of human rights accordingly against the violation of people’s privacy, jerk.com should be banned.
    Nazma FOURRE

  • [Avatar for Family Exploited By Jerk]
    Family Exploited By Jerk
    May 8, 2012 06:40 am

    To check the status of http://www.jerk.com go here http://www.isitdownrightnow.com/jerk.com.html

    Right now http://www.jerk.com is down

  • [Avatar for Concerned Chicagoan]
    Concerned Chicagoan
    May 4, 2012 11:01 pm

    Hi–I thought I had posted a comment before, and it appears to not have shown up. I just wanted to give people an update on what I have uncovered as I’ve been working to remove the two pages that have appeared with my (very unique) name and picture which is definitely from an old Facebook profile picture. And of course this site appears when I’m very actively job-hunting.

    On January 27, 2012, I did a whois search of the website, which was identified as netriplex.com. I did a DMCA takedown request, and it was removed. Well kind of. It still appeared in Google results, but the page wasn’t there. It reappeared about 2 weeks later.

    On April 11, 2012, I did a whois search of the website, which was identified as amazon. I did a DMCA takedown request, and it was removed in the same manner as netriplex (as in not really, but they did respond). By April 20, 2012, the jerk.com sites with my name and picture were back, so I sent yet another email DMCA takedown request to amazon. This time, my response was:

    Hello,

    This website is no longer hosted with Amazon.com.

    Please follow up with the correct provider.

    Thank you,

    Amazon EC2 Abuse Team

    I did another whois search on April 20, 2012, and was directed to websitewelcome.com. I got a response from hostgator.com and so far my page has been removed. BUT, you can still google me, and the jerk.com search comes up on page 2 of google. I’ve tried removing this from google’s search, but it’s been denied.

    Finally, I sent a complaint to the MA AG, per others’ suggestions. I Just received a letter thanking me for contacting them, but that it wasn’t the right entity, and I should follow up with the Illinois AG. Perhaps that’s because I’m a resident of Illinois–not sure, but just wanted people to know some of the roadblocks others have hit trying to remove this site!

    Thank you for posting your informative blog!

  • [Avatar for JANICE LOCOST]
    JANICE LOCOST
    May 1, 2012 06:53 am

    JERK.COM is still up and tormenting children this is aweful and stressful to see my child being hurt and bullied by a grown man who owns this site.

  • [Avatar for Marie]
    Marie
    April 23, 2012 04:46 pm

    We need more people like you Gene Quinn!

  • [Avatar for Jimmy]
    Jimmy
    April 19, 2012 05:13 pm

    jerk.com is down at the moment. Lets hope that all those complaints to the FBI have actually proved fruitful.

    Amy – your comments are fairly outrageous, sure your not affliated with jerk.com in any way?

    Keep up the good work Gene. People are grateful for your support.

  • [Avatar for Gene Quinn]
    Gene Quinn
    April 19, 2012 02:41 pm

    Spartina-

    I don’t think the Ripoff Report provides a platform that is used to harass and bully children in vile and repulsive ways. I also don’t think they violate copyright laws either. So Ripoff Report is very different, although I have no knowledge about whether the boasting of never losing is correct.

    -Gene

  • [Avatar for Gene Quinn]
    Gene Quinn
    April 19, 2012 02:37 pm

    Amy-

    You are too funny. I haven’t complained at all about Jerk.com doing anything to me personally. I’m not even listed on Jerk.com. If you knew anything about me… if you took any time to educate yourself prior to commenting… you would know that if I were on Jerk.com I would broadcast that far and wide and be quite proud of that fact. For example, see:

    https://ipwatchdog.com/2009/11/04/gene-quinn-declared-patent-twit-of-the-week/id=7161/

    I relish those (like yourself) who are ignorant saying I am a jerk or twit or whatever. It exposes them for what they really. Being right on the issues shouldn’t make one a jerk or a twit. That those who are wrong on issues (like you) have to resort to name calling just demonstrates the weakness of the position they are advocating.

    Of course, if they used any copyrighted material without permission I would sue them, but standing up for one’s rights hardly makes one a jerk (regardless of what you erroneously think).

    I have, however, complained vehemently about the cyberbullying of children. If are going to defend Jerk.com that speaks volumes about you as a person.

    So do you make it a practice in life to defend bullies who go after children, or are you just immoral when you comment online?

    -Gene

  • [Avatar for Family Exploited By Jerk]
    Family Exploited By Jerk
    April 19, 2012 12:25 pm

    I have read on forums that at one stage there was an application pulling photos from facebook which was stopped but the website is being used in an abusive way. If other websites can stop photos being copied why can’t facebook? I have sent so many complaints to facebook that go unheard as though the business is run by amateurs.

    I have commented on here previously to display my anger at http://www.jerk.com but my post has disappeared.

  • [Avatar for Spartina]
    Spartina
    April 19, 2012 11:49 am

    Gene,

    Ripoff Report also has a “no removal” policy and boasts that it has never lost in court. If this is true, why do you think Jerk.com is going to be any different?

    Thanks for your website. I always learn something.

    S

  • [Avatar for amy toffle]
    amy toffle
    April 19, 2012 07:43 am

    gene sounds like a jerk himself, thats why he’s so threatened by the site. he’s threatened by people calling him out on all the bad deeds he’s done in the past

  • [Avatar for Renee C. Quinn]
    Renee C. Quinn
    April 18, 2012 12:16 pm

    What bothers me more than anything is that they state that the people on jerk.com were “submitted” by others. But what prompted Gene to take a stand against Jerk.com, is there was a minor on Jerk.com who means a lot to both of us. What i noticed though is that although someone supposedly “submitted” this minor’s name and photo to jerk.com, there was not one “jerk” vote listed. If you submit something to a site like that, wouldn’t you place a vote? People may have been submitting others, but I truly believe that Jerk.com was pulling the information from other sources on their own.

    Renee

  • [Avatar for Gene Quinn]
    Gene Quinn
    April 18, 2012 10:24 am

    Anonymous-

    I am not an expert on Facebook privacy issues, but based on what I do know nothing would surprise me.

    -Gene

  • [Avatar for Anonymous]
    Anonymous
    April 17, 2012 11:57 pm

    Hi Gene,

    I currently live outside the United States and managed to get my name put on the website.

    I’m starting to think I must of been put on the site via Facebook app. In other words, I tried a misleading Facebook app in the past and accepted some sort of agreement regarding me being put on their website (I’m completely unsure).

    I’m unable to sue as I’m outside the United States. If I were to sue, I’m scared that if I was put on the website through a Facebook app that I wouldn’t win on regards to suing the website (as I accepted some sort of permission pop-up), and that I would still be placed on the website.

    What is your opinion on regards to my “issue”/”fear” about the Facebook App/Jerk its self?

    Best Regards,

    – Anonymous

  • [Avatar for Gene Quinn]
    Gene Quinn
    April 17, 2012 10:13 am

    Jimmy-

    Unfortunately, the only way to get your name removed seems to be suing Jerk.com. Look into the state laws relating to right of privacy and right of publicity or likeness. Many of those should provide a remedy. Of course, none of this should be necessary. Community, state and local leaders should get on board to end this harassment online.

    Best wishes.

    -Gene

  • [Avatar for Jimmy]
    Jimmy
    April 16, 2012 07:27 pm

    Hi Gene,

    Many thanks for all the good advice. Is there any way to get a profile removed if you have a very unique name?