"The web is considered 'public domain'"
Some of my written work was once pirated by a coporation.In 1984, when I was 13, I wrote an article on revising the AD&D combat tables, sent it in to Dragon magazine, and it was published the following year.  Before it hit print, I was given a contract to read and sign.  The contract specified that I was selling "first serial rights" only, and retained all rights for republishing, putting in anthologies, etc.I signed the contract, and got a $100 check.20 years later, Dragon released a CD-ROM compendium of all content.  My article was included, without my permission.This was not "initial" serial rights - this was a republishing.I sent an email saying "you owe me additional payment".They wrote back saying "no".I filled out a small claims court form in MA, submitted it along with a $40 processing fee, and waited.A few weeks later I was given a court date.I showed up.  The Hasbro magazine rep (Dragon was published by TSR, which had been acquired by Wizards of the Coast, which had been acquired by Hasbro) did not show.I won the case by default.The court mailed the judgement to Hasbro.A month later Hasbro mailed me a check for $2,000, in accordance with the judgement.