Occasionally, in Blogger Help Forum: Learn More About Blogger. we'll see yet another question about account recovery - but with a twist.
Unfortunately, Blogger accounts and blogs are legally the property of the employee who has (or had) control - and who left the company, while retaining control.
Leaving an employer, and retaining company property, is rude.
Intellectual property is legally owned by the account owner.
Taking real property is theft - but intellectual property, such as a Blogger blog, is the legal property of the one who retains control.
Originally, Blogger Support could legally assist in recovery of company property.
Long ago, corporate officials would provide details about a blog "theft". Blogger Support would politely email to the official a form, that he could have notarised, and submitted with a letterhead memo from a company executive - and Blogger would happily comply.
But technology enables easily forged corporate identity documentation.
Then came the age of PhotoShop and 3D printing - and the ability to manufacture letterhead stationary, and "notarised" documents, at convenience. Blogger Support got caught, once or twice, assisting clever blog thieves.
Retention of corporate property is the responsibility of the corporate officers.
A blog is a corporate asset - and needs to be managed as any corporate property. If a company wishes to retain control, the officials must manage blog access, as diligently as they would manage any real property.
Corporate officers have options, that they must exercise.
A company official has three chances for recovering control of the blog.
Google legally can't become involved, as they have to protect the ownership of the blog - even if the current owner is not acting honestly.
I am trying to recover control of our old Blogger account, that became useless when a former employee left the company, taking the login information with him.Here we have an officer of a corporation, who is left holding the bag - because his management did not exercise proper control of a former employee.
Unfortunately, Blogger accounts and blogs are legally the property of the employee who has (or had) control - and who left the company, while retaining control.
Leaving an employer, and retaining company property, is rude.
Intellectual property is legally owned by the account owner.
Taking real property is theft - but intellectual property, such as a Blogger blog, is the legal property of the one who retains control.
Originally, Blogger Support could legally assist in recovery of company property.
Long ago, corporate officials would provide details about a blog "theft". Blogger Support would politely email to the official a form, that he could have notarised, and submitted with a letterhead memo from a company executive - and Blogger would happily comply.
But technology enables easily forged corporate identity documentation.
Then came the age of PhotoShop and 3D printing - and the ability to manufacture letterhead stationary, and "notarised" documents, at convenience. Blogger Support got caught, once or twice, assisting clever blog thieves.
Retention of corporate property is the responsibility of the corporate officers.
A blog is a corporate asset - and needs to be managed as any corporate property. If a company wishes to retain control, the officials must manage blog access, as diligently as they would manage any real property.
Corporate officers have options, that they must exercise.
A company official has three chances for recovering control of the blog.
Google legally can't become involved, as they have to protect the ownership of the blog - even if the current owner is not acting honestly.
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