Comments on: Content Theft is a Personal Violation

By: Katharine Swan

Katharine Swan — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 21:27:10 +0000

In this case, it’s not only plagiarism but also copyright infringement. There’s a pretty big difference. The Little Book of Plagiarism does a pretty good job of explaining it.

By: Jessica

Jessica — Thu, 23 Aug 2007 21:18:47 +0000

Academically speaking I’d call “content theft” plagiarism. After all in writing we often cite (key point here) and give credit to others ideas/work/papers. The blogger clearly did that in her creating a list that took people to the orginal work, thus citing it.

Stealing is stealing, plagiarism is plagiarism, unauthorized use is unauthorized use and there is no need to argue beyond that. Ignorance is not an excuse either-which is something a few unfortunate people in the classes I TA’d for found out the hard way.

By: Freelance Writing Jobs » Blog Archive » How Can You Tell if Your Content Has Been Ripped Off?

Wed, 22 Aug 2007 19:56:37 +0000

[...] you’re no doubt already aware, my biggest pet peeve is content theft. I think there’s nothing worse than lazy website owners or bloggers who feel it’s ok to [...]

By: Mariella

Mariella — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 10:49:14 +0000

A> Lists are commonly used for blog posts. If you’ve been blogging for a long time, you’d know it’s one of the most popular types of posts.

The blogs Deb had linked should actually thank her for the free promotion.

By: A

Tue, 21 Aug 2007 03:04:31 +0000

I don’t get it. The entire content of your thrifty list consists of OTHER PEOPLE’S WORK. There’s one crappy little intro sentence for each “article”, and then you provide a bunch of links to other websites neither written, researched, nor maintained by you.

It’s ironic to me, then, how you can feel so self-righteously angered about your content being used on another blogger’s site.

By: Bryan M

Bryan M — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 16:54:53 +0000

After reading a few more comments I am provoked to add that theft of intellectual property IS the same as theft of physical property. Put in economic terms, a writer is a laborer who adds value to facts to make a final product of intellectual property. In this way, facts are no different than raw lumber that a carpenter might fashion into a well-formed and fashionable chair. If a carpenter finished a chair and someone grabbed it from his workshop–without paying for it–painted it, and sold it in their own shop, would we consider that to be theft? Absolutely. Would we demand that the thief compensate the carpenter and be punished? Absolutely. Why do some of the posters to this discussion see that a writer’s labor is so worthless? I could not possibly offer an answer to that question: I simply do not understand the viewpoint.

By: Bryan M

Bryan M — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 16:46:37 +0000

It is very kind to say that most content theft is a misunderstanding. When someone fails to comprehend that taking something (that means anything) that does not belong to you is stealing that is a deficit or moral character, not a misunderstanding. We, as a society, give intellectual property thieves far too much leeway. When has ignorance *ever* been an acceptable defense of any crime?

Having said that, the comments already posted to this discussion should be required reading for anyone creating content. Some freelancers delude themselves into thinking that *everything* they type is copyrightable when the truth about what defines copyrightable material often lies somewhere in the synthesis of law and common decency. We can’t claim every good idea as exclusively ours, like a spoiled 7 year-old touching every toy in their sibling’s toy chest. Nor can we be too specific in what aualifies as unique content. In the digital age, where it is far too easy to cut, edit, and paste, it is up to each of us to come together to find some code of conduct that protects writers so that we can feel free to create.

By: Lori

Lori — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 16:30:50 +0000

Deb, I blogged this over at my site.

By: Lori

Lori — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 14:46:38 +0000

It’s a rash of instances caused by non-journalistic types thinking everything on the Internet is free or worse, not caring. However, I’ve seen journalists act the same way. Lack of ethical standards is rampant. In short, if it’s someone else’s article, link to it and attribute it to that person. If you want to print it verbatim, ASK.

By: Lauren

Lauren — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 22:53:34 +0000

Although I haven’t had this happen to me, I can only imagine how angry it would make me. Glad to hear that you are making some progress with the stolen content. I know I would surely put up as much of a fight as you have.

Good Luck!

By: John Platt

John Platt — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 19:06:09 +0000

Deb, I just looked at the Simply Thrifty site and I don’t see a copyright notice anywhere on the page. You might want to talk to the B5 media owners to see if you can get a good ownership statement put up on the page. It can’t hurt.

I’ve read the arguments above about copyrighting lists, but I’ve spent a lot of time working for directory publishers who depend on the protection that their gathering of content provides them. For example, a company’s SEC filings are not copyrighted, but a database containing 100s of SEC filings is.

My work’s been stolen numerous times. It’s both personal and business, and I wish you luck resolving the issues.

By: Deb

Deb — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 12:05:30 +0000

@argee -

Argee, bloggers don’t mind if others provide a quote with attribution at all. In fact, it’s encouraged! Bloggers love to share link love. What upsets us is seeing our posts cut and pasted in their entirety to other bogs.

By: argee

argee — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 11:58:16 +0000

Great topic and discussion, Deb.
Coming from the academe, I have a couple of basic questions:
in academic writing, we are allowed to cite and quote parts of copyright-protected books and articles as long as we have the appropriate attribution (list of references, bibliographic entries). We don’t need to ask permission from the authors and publishers. Apparently, I gather from this discussion that this isn’t the case in blogospere. Is this true for all online publications? What about if you are writing/blogging about say, health or science, and you need to cite medical/scientific articles published in print and/or online? Is there a list of rules that tells what is considered appropriate and inappropriate in blogsphere/online publishing?

By: Micah

Micah — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 09:58:10 +0000

Well I will add my two cents about this also. It has not happened to me that I’m aware of so far, but I would take it personal. I have been in writing contests on a certain website and have went to great lengths to report people who plagiarize. It is astounding to me that people just take it, copy and paste it, and put their own name on it. I’m new to being a freelancer but I know for sure that would be a sure fire way to lose any credibility I’m trying to accomplish.
I go through great pains that I cite my sources correctly and wish everyone else would do the same.

Okay, maybe that’s my four cents.

By: Nikki

Nikki — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 03:40:17 +0000

Thankfully I haven’t had this happen yet and if it has, I haven’t found it. If I ever should find my work has been stolen or copied, you can bet your sweet Aun’t Aggie’s rear I will be chasing it down and putting a stop to it. It’s not just personal and emotional but it’s downright cheap. The mere fact that someone can’t come up with something original on their own lowers the value of my work for me. Even though the stolen work is still yours, do you not have to jump through some hoops to prove that if you ever intend of selling it somewhere else or using it for a clip or sample? It seems to me stolen content could hurt your chances of working for a client if they find the exact work published under 1, 2 or 5 different names and identities. You would have to go about the task of proving it to be your work if those who stole it don’t remove it from their sites. I see that as very personal.

By: Erik Hare

Erik Hare — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 01:56:49 +0000

I make most of my money telling other people’s stories. I’d like to make more off of my own musings, especially my blog (link with my name).

I have about 100 people a day reading me, which may not be enough to make anything from it. I was wondering if people could give me a few pointers on making a living from this. Thanks!

Without that, I don’t have a strong opinion on having my stuff ripped off. It’s never happened wholesale, but I suppose I don’t look all that hard.

By: Dani

Dani — Sun, 19 Aug 2007 00:02:56 +0000

Thank you del!

By: del

del — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 23:35:27 +0000

Dani, a lot of writers use programs like Copyscape.

By: Amy U

Amy U — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 23:30:26 +0000

This is obviously a very emotional issue. I haven’t personally been through this, so I can’t say how I would feel. I do know that stealing is stealing. Just because someone doesn’t come into your home doesn’t mean they haven’t stolen from you. Your credit identity can be stolen without a thief entering your home, so can your writing.

I understand how anyone can take it personally. It may be better to not take it personally and just do what the law allows, but it may not. It’s also very easy to tell someone to not take it personally. I still have a hard time calling myself a writer, but I would still be offended and hurt if someone took what I wrote and posted it elsewhere without my permission. I hope the offenders are stopped. I appreciate reading what Deb writes, and I wish I had her abilities. Maybe that is the real problem – she’s just too good!

By: Dani

Dani — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 23:18:34 +0000

I have a question. How to you find stolen content? What ways do each of you use to check if your content has been stolen?

Thanks!

By: latoya

latoya — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 23:04:06 +0000

I hate dealing with copyright infringement. I don’t want people copying my work, I don’t want them monetizing it, and I don’t want readers giving credit to someone else when it should be given to me.

It’s devauling and can easily raise credibility questions when readers see both pieces of content. Readers will wonder who copied from whom and whether either source can be trusted.

I send out far too many cease and desist letters and reDMCA notices. The time I spend chasing down copyright infringers could very well be spent writing content I can monetize.

This discussion has just given me a business idea.

By: del

del — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 22:02:58 +0000

dejah, at what point did I specifically accuse you of not caring about your work??

By: dejah

dejah — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 20:13:14 +0000

Melissa, actually if you read what I wrote, I went to all that length to prove MYSELF wrong. You’re all so busy being angry with me that you forgot to notice that I said Deb was justified, in direct contradiction of what I had written earlier. Sometimes, even copyright nuts–which I am, and which explains why I went to that length–do things like that because they are interested more in learning the ins and outs of copyright than of being right. Reading the actual case law was instructive. I had never read it before.

del, I thank you not to decide if I care about my writing or not. It is completely possible that I care in a thoroughly different way than you do.

Kelly Malloy, I am neither crass nor insensitive, what I am is dispassionate. I have never felt emotional about copyright infringement of my own work (though I have felt emotional about the horrible law that is the DMCA). Yes, I am a writer. I have written a half million word serial, six novels, two technical books, five blogs (in various stages of decay) and enough journalistic articles (print and online) that I have lost count.

Deb, I agree that passing your work off as his was ethically wrong. And I agree it’s a breach of etiquette (I had to copy that word from your post, it IS okay, right?). But even if someone did what that guy did, I still wouldn’t take it personally. Yes, I’d write the C&D. Yes, I’d send the host a DMCA takedown notice. I would do what the law allows me, but I would do it just as dispassionately as I’ve discussed the issues here. I wouldn’t feel personally violated because it happened. I just wouldn’t. I can understand that you do. You’re allowed to feel that way even if I think it’s a waste of time and energy.

And last but not least, intellectual property is not real property. It cannot be stolen, only infringed. Perhaps this is why I don’t get upset. When someone steals something from me, they have rummaged around in my life, invaded my privacy, taken something from me so that I no longer have it. It’s a violation. But when someone infringes a blog post, or even an article, I still have it. I was still paid for it. It’s still posted under my name where it was published. Nothing’s been taken from me. My privacy has not been invaded, no one has physically threatened me of my safety. I get it taken down. No biggie. Business as usual. This is just how I see it.

I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings, Deb. I respect you and your work and I enjoy your blog. My deepest apologies if you felt hurt.

By: Katharine Swan

Katharine Swan — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 19:58:30 +0000

Ooooh, that’s an even better analogy, Jessie. Thanks.

Honestly, I think the problem is probably a mistranslation of the word “personal”…

By: Jessie

Jessie — Sat, 18 Aug 2007 19:55:15 +0000

I liken it to coming up with a great idea at work and someone else taking credit, getting all the accolades, etc. Who wouldn’t take that as a personal violation?