The Curious Case of Randy K

Massive Copyright Infringement Exposed at Knol

Google's tools play central detection role

The trio of authors of a major article (a Knol) have exposed extensive copyright infringement and system abuse across the popular Google Knol website. So far, the infringement involves over 1,000,000 words (~2,500 magazine pages) in ~800 articles by a single person using several identities. A number of accounts were quickly blocked by Google and the owners directed to remove offending content.

Working collaboratively on three continents, the trio's Knol, entitled Knol Site Metrics Reveal Good, Bad & Ugly has led to the public outing of “Randall Kleinert,” a Wisconsin (U.S.) resident. Kleinert has issued written and verbal confessions to victim Bass Pro Shops, Springfield, Missouri (a large Internet retailer with about 60 brick-and-mortar stores across the U.S. and Canada, including Outdoor World); another to Google and a third to a writers group he founded and operated through the Knol website, ostensibly as a front to deflect suspicion and disguise illicit pursuits. There may be other victims.

The discovery was made possible by Google's search toolkit. Creative use by writer/researchers Peter Baskerville in Australia and Dr. Krishan Maggon in Switzerland revealed suspicious activity among the site's ~150,000 articles. Team member Murry Shohat in the United States thought it improbable that one person could generate ~800 detailed articles in seven months.

“As a long time editor, I knew the impossibility of producing this many quality articles -- this was clearly high quality work -- in a brief period by a single author,” said Shohat.

As the evidence accumulated, the trio confronted so-called author "Randy K" "Initially, Randy defended himself through evasive answers," said Shohat. "But Google's metrics told a compelling story. Within 24 hours, Randy confessed to us, then to his victim."

Google Tools Aid Take Down
Using Google's search toolkit, Shohat was able to tie Klienert's Knols to hundreds of by-lined, copyright protected articles commissioned as original works and offered to the public at Bass Pro Shops' website. Simultaneously, Maggon and Baskerville generated and analyzed metric patterns involving the creation of dozens of favorable carbon-copy reviews by anonymous accounts. These are now believed to be alter egos of Kleinert set up with a single purpose: to advance the infringement for personal gain. "Randy K was a loud, frequent cheerleader -- for himself," said Baskerville.

Kleinert (also known as "the judge") claims to be owner and webmaster of two websites focused on fishing, hunting and camping. Each illicit Knol exactly replicated the words of a copyrighted article, absent the author's byline; each included links to Klienert’s websites. Readers were encouraged to purchase items mentioned in the articles, which were all originally authored by writers favored by hunting, fishing and camping enthusiasts.

Kleinert has now removed all Knols from Google's website (they can still be viewed using the Internet Archive WayBack machine). He has also resigned as executive director of the writers group (to the shock and dismay of the membership, a few of whom may have been unwitting accomplices). An account in the name "Chrissy K," self described wife of "the judge," purportedly authored numerous Knols, some with Randy K as co-author. The account and Knols have disappeared. In addition, accounts in the name of Klienert’s self described family members and aliases, notably "D. Boone", "Tom Baker", "Mark Johnson", "Don Brooks" and "bass pro" have been blocked through Google's timely action.

Oddly, two associated accounts that authored plagiarized Knols, identified as "P. Walnuts" and TK still linger (June, 2009) but have been blocked by Google. They show up as Top Pick award accounts, a problem Google has been unable to solve.

The writers group (Knol Authors Foundation) is in disarray and meltdown, according to a reading of a bulletin board page at the Knol website. The group removed Randy K and several aliases at the group's membership page, but maintains "Chrissy K" as a member.

A spokesperson for Bass Pro Shops said "We have talked to Mr. Kleinert... we do not intend to pursue it... further."

A Google spokesperson said "As with similar Google products that provide a platform for user-generated content, Knol will be subject to our general content policy and terms of service. Of course, we can't prevent people from doing things they shouldn't, but when we are made aware of a violation, we will act accordingly pursuant to our terms of service, content policies, and applicable laws and regulations. In some cases, that means that content will be taken down once the appropriate process is triggered."

To encourage public reporting of plagiarized content going forward, the trio has published a review entitled Plagiarism on Knol.

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These are the metrics that exposed Randy. K and his merry band ...

Massive Copyright Infringement Exposed at Knol, page 2-2-2-2-2

About the Authors of Knol Site Metrics Reveal Good, Bad & Ugly

Each of the authors of Knol Site Metrics is ranked among the top writers at Google’s Knol website.

A summa cum laude graduate of the Dwight Bentel School of Journalism (San Jose State University) Murry Shohat is a freelance writer, editor, journalist and marketing consultant. He's done post-graduate work in business cybernetic systems at San Jose State. His reporting has appeared in many magazines and journalism websites. He's the co-founder and former executive director of an open source software trade association. Murry has penned 18 Knols and is currently ranked in the top ten among Knol's top pick English language authors.

Peter Baskerville is a lecturer and facilitator of entrepreneurial education at Southbank Institute of Technology, Brisbane, Australia. He mounts courses and mentors student entrepreneurs in a role he calls "New Venture Architect." He holds a degree and awards in finance, accounting and entrepreneurial education; is recognized in Australia as Content Expert in Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneur in Residence at Southbank. Peter has written nearly 40 Knols and is also ranked in the top ten among Knol's top pick English language authors.

This author supports the fight against plagiarism on Knol. Report HERE