I am sad to write this post. While I’m well aware that unethical people exist, it still saddens me. I am generally a very smiley person. You can ask just about any one who knows me. . . So what might you ask, has me saddened?
Someone plaigirized my blog. They cut, and copy and pasted my words and put it on their blog without clearly giving me the credit or even so much as a link. Some people may say it’s not that big of a deal because well, let’s be realistic–this is not a HUGE blog with TONS of traffic. Some people say that it isn’t a big deal because this is the information age and well, that’s just what happens when you have all your stuff out there. It is technically ‘free’ for the taking.
But it IS a big deal. It isn’t that my site is losing traffic or that I’m losing money. As you can see, this is not a monetized blog. (Maybe someday. . .but not yet.) This will not make anyone’s top 10 list any time soon. It’s just my ramblings and thoughts on fun, parenting, children and homeschooling. But the point is they are MY ramblings. Legally, no one has the right to take and copy your content without your permission. It is stealing–just the same as if you went into the store and took something without paying for it.
The post stolen, was Take a Stand in 2007. I had originally posted a comment on the theif’s blog asking that he (or she) open the post with a note saying that he found this post on The Sneaky Mama and to link appropriately. Why was I so nice? Because it is a post explaining how to get a free lemonade stand to raise money for charity. I am always happy to spread the word about charity.
Later that day I found my post still there, not linked, but I was added to the blog roll. I guess he figured that the blog roll link would get rid of me because as of last night, my comment pointing out that it was my blog, in addition to the link on the blog roll is now gone. I have written to Google Adsense and I’ve let the blog’s host site know that it is my work and they have not yet gotten back to me. Why? Probably because this happens all the time.
So I’m asking you for your help. The only way to stop plaigirism in the blogging community is for those of us who are ethical and intelligent to speak up and let unethical bloggers know that it’s not okay to steal content. I am now publicly asking for the post to be removed. Gone is the opportunity to keep the post on the blog with appropriate credit given. I would also ask you to visit the blog and let him know that you know the post was originally mine and that stealing words, thoughts and ideas is equivalent to being a common theif.
Here is my blog: Take a Stand in 2007 and Here is his blog.
This Sneaky Mama doesn’t tolerate all ’sneakiness’,
The Sneaky Mama
123 said
I realy don`t know your age, but i think that you are not smart kid. I take “your” content from an RSS feed.
thesneakymama said
LOL! Hey–you’re kind of funny! I’m not dumb at all. . .I just think it’s wrong to lift content off an RSS feed and post it without properly giving credit. I was well aware (or at least I assumed) that you got my post off the RSS feed. You don’t seem like the type of guy to go around looking for parenting tips. I didn’t ask you to originally remove the content because I figured the more people that know about opportunities to give to charity, the better. . .but I did ask you to put a link IN THE POST. This is actually how you credit people when you want to share something with the world that’s not yours.
123 said
Sorry, it`s technicaly impossible to make link in each your post. I can set a link to your site (my PR3) or simply stop grabbing this RSS feed, its not a problem. I`m not speaking now in such categories like “wrong&write”, “bad&good” it`s buissnes. Nothing personal. Formally it`s my good will – or may be you have some documents for Copywrite?
P.s. In Russia (i`m russian) in such situations we say like this (ask smb to translate) http://genossen.ru/
PPS Sorry for my english
123 said
2 “Name: Barbara | E-mail: seven0f9yer@aol.com | IP: 24.107.227.36 | Date: May 24, 2007
I just wanted to let you know that I have no personal interest in this what-so-ever but I have been following this case throughout the web for the past few days.
This happened to me a while back and I followed up with Google until they banned the person that did it to me. They don’t ban the site, they ban the person…for life. Is one little blurb worth getting banned? You are probably young and have many great ideas. Don’t ruin it over this.
I have been reading that there is an issue that this came from an RSS feed. It doesn’t matter. The purpose of an RSS feed is to give the originator traffic and due diligence. It certainly is not for the complete copying of content. That doesn’t even make sense. Google discrimates and follows duplicated content.
Please rethink before you lose your future chances of a profitable relationship with Google.
Sorry I couldn’t leave an actual email address. For some reason I didn’t feel I could trust you with it. “”
It`s not a COPYWRITE content.
thesneakymama said
You’re welcome to post comments without me editing. . .just watch your language please. . .that is what I edited out. Didn’t mean to change the content of your comment. . .
It is ALWAYS in bad taste to copy and paste someone’s work. Google Adsense’s terms say so, as do lots of other people’s. It doesn’t matter that it came from an RSS feed. If you check the TOS of google adsense they make that pretty clear.
Okay–here’s what you can do. . .
a) remove my post and don’t post anything of mine again (without asking me first–I am actually very, very reasonable.)
b) create another post letting people know that the Take a Stand post is from The Sneaky Mama (with the link embedded)
Of course it’s not personal–why would it be? However, it is also good business not to scrape up other people’s stuff. I’m certainly very reasonable. . .had you left me a comment initially explaining that you weren’t certain how to embed the link or edit the post or that you couldn’t. . .I would’ve responded in kind. I may have even directed traffic to your blog in a positive way. I think you’ll find though, that most people do not accept plaigirism as the way business is done.
deb said
It’s absolutely not ok to steal someone’s content and repost it on your own blog whether it came from an RSS feed or not. It’s one thing to subscribe privately to a feed and read it at your leisure. It’s a whole other issue to re-post someone’s content, in its entirety, on your own blog or site. At the very least you should ask permission and offer a link in the post.
RSS isn’t an excuse to steal content.
This happened to me so I shortened my RSS feed so now it doesn’t publish more than a parapgraph.
Idetrorce said
very interesting, but I don’t agree with you
Idetrorce