Is stealing a website worth it?

Our website gets stolen a lot…

At Viralistic, unfortunately, we see a lot of cases of people stealing our website. While ee always contact local authorities, they just keep popping up and we have decided to stop chasing it and take it as a compliment that people are taking our website all the time.

What I don’t know is that we have hidden a lot of snippets of code into the website. So even though you steal our website, we know you have stolen our website because the code on the website itself pings back at our systems and we get an alert every time the website is stolen.

We decided to spotlight copied websites

At Viralistic, patterns occasionally surface that say more about the industry than we could say ourselves. One recurring situation is the replication of our website layout, structure, and even portfolio items by external parties. While imitation appears to be intended as flattery, it usually reveals a lack of creative rigor and strategic understanding…

Rather than treat these cases with frustration, we have elected to introduce a monthly showcase that brings levity to the subject and demonstrates the value of original, thoughtful creative work…!

This month’s “winner”

The current spotlighted website offers a particularly memorable example. The creator selected a curious pairing of typefaces, producing a somewhat unexpected visual impression. Yet the most striking detail remains that the portfolio items on the copied site are still ours. Visitors only need a brief glance to notice the source material.

The rationale behind such choices remains unclear, although it does highlight the importance of authenticity and brand discipline. That said, we acknowledge the unintended compliment and gladly present the inaugural recipient of our “Stealers” recognition.

A curious finishing touch

One detail invites particular amusement. After replicating design elements and even portfolio work, the creator still added a personal copyright line at the bottom of the site. The result feels paradoxical: a declaration of ownership on material that is visibly not theirs. It creates an unintended comedic effect, functioning as a reminder that true authorship cannot be claimed through imitation.