Greatest part about this? I am not a usual reader of this company's blog, and would have never probably seen the post, if it wasn't for a naive Twitter follower who Tweeted me the blog post as support for MY idea. Ha.
Okay, enough venting. I think we can all agree that content stealing is a HUGE issue that is becoming worse at an ALARMING rate. To be honest, we are all guilty of it now and then, especially as content curators. However, while most of my Tweets are not articles written by me, they certainly include the link to the original article with the original author's name on it. Any photo I use is credited, as long as I can credit it to the source. I do not sit back and put my name on it as an author.
There is good news, though. While social media provides thieves with an easier playing field to "break into", it also puts a bright, big old spotlight on the thieves if they're caught. I watched some stories play out this week in the stealing of content, and it was relieving to see the original content creators actually see the stolen content and call the thief out. Even a greater thing I witnessed was people seeing stolen content before the original creator had a chance to even realize it was stolen, and they wrote things like, "Hey! That's so-and-so's. Not yours!", and then linked to the original post. Way to go, humanity.
It's critical that we step up as social media professionals and call-out brands and other professionals stealing content. It's also critical that we not contribute to the growing circus of thieves, and attribute material to the original creator, when possible. There's enough creativity to go around, and, believe me, people aren't going to view you any less because you admit the content is from another person. In fact, they'll look up to you for supporting other professionals in the field.
**Looking forward to seeing this paraphrased on another blog soon.**
- Marji J. Sherman
I love the quote. You should put that on #Pinterest.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately the Internet has given rise to this kind of plagiarism...and worse, because some people (maybe not so much in your context, but definitely modern 'journalism') believe that Google is a legitimate source - goodbye to fact-checking and verification, hello to "publish today, correct tomorrow."
ReplyDeletePlagiarism is a Punishable offense under any jurisdiction.
ReplyDelete* In Hungary the President had to resign. [ a sportsman who fancied himself as an Academic] Despite the "lil Ogre" Mr Vikky Orban [Victor] tried to keep him to the end. Take this as an extreme example; what Mr. Orban is doing to Magyars for 8years...god can only describe...yet for Plagiarism they were unforgiving!
* In Germany, the (former) Minister of Defense, felt that having ties going to Bismark, being part of a Family with a pot of ~ 500.000.000 Euros, pretty and educated wife [an aristocrat also] "title of the land around him" & the first to ring the church-bell [don't laugh- this is Huge in Germany] predicted to become Germany's Chancellor one day, one of few young-n-rising Politicians able to "translate" Teutonic discipline with a smile, endearing enough to please china, russia, turkey, japan and america; thought...nah...this is too little.
I Must be called a Doctor [of Law]
So 90 Pg were plagiarized, for his dissertation.
Germans imitated their Arab brethren, and took to the streets waving their shoes [true] and 10.000 German academics wrote to anyone who could hear them. Denial, little acceptance, someone else did it...and the Guy by now became known in Budenstag....as Baron zu Googleberg [ zu Guttenberg]
After few weeks, had to Resign.
p/s1 Pls do not try to imagine angry Germans without shoes. [with them, they are scary enough]
p/s/2 Jurisdiction Wise - there are many precedents around the world and v. easy to persecute anyone. If Somebody does this [against me] in Albania/Russia, all i have to prove is "the territorial factor" it has been seen in UK. And we start from here. [internet can be seen anywhere/ so its a formal point] and penalize the thieves.
p/s/3 Is not Nice to steal other people's Words!