I apologize in advance for the length of this post.
Blogging has no rules.
At least none that I’ve ever come across. With that being said, I think most of us would agree there are some basic expectations about the content that you create on your own blog. It’s yours, right? You wrote it, laboring over every word, read it and re-read it before you hit publish. And you expect that people will read what you wrote, perhaps make a connection with you. Maybe something you’ve written will encourage someone to consider something they would never have considered.
That’s why we blog isn’t it?
To make connections, educate people and develop a sense of community.
Scraping
But what if someone violates the expectations?
What I’m speaking about here is something called content scraping. The first time content scraping crossed my radar was a week ago. If you’re unfamiliar with the term (don’t feel bad, I was too) I’ll sum it up:
Content scraping is someone going to your blog, and copying something within a post, whether it be the entire post or a small snippet and putting it on their blog as if it’s their own. You can read more about it on here.
Don’t be impressed, I read about it at Something Wagging. 🙂 She found it first.
I heard it again on Monday on the Peaceful Dog blog, Kirsten apparently had an entire blog post copied word for word without benefit of crediting it back to her.
In the comments of both posts I said something along the line of plagiarism is stealing and stealing is wrong. I agree with Pamela, my content is out there for all to see, and read. If you use it though, give me props, add a link back to my blog and you and I are good.
Taking someone’s work without attributing it to them doesn’t fly in my world. Nor in Kirsten’s. She took the appropriate steps and the blog was shut down.
But what about pictures?
I remember over the summer, Roxanne from Champion of My Heart had one of her photos used in a promotion. If I’m recalling correctly, she posted something on facebook and the person/entity in question offered to take it down.
Sunday night a fellow blogger had quite a lengthy post on his facebook page. I’m not sure if any of you follow the Idiot or not. About a week ago now, he was locked out of his wordpress account.
An excerpt from his facebook page:
The Idiot Speaketh
“As many of you know, my “THE IDIOT SPEAKETH” humor blog was recently deactivated by WordPress. After four days and five email requests, I finally have received word from WordPress on why my blog was dropped.
Digital Content. (DMCA)
Basically, in the current digital world, any photograph, graphic, artwork, cartoon, video, audio file, etc. that YOU did not create yourself, is considered copyrighted. You cannot publish any of these materials unless you have the expressed consent of the person who created the content.
This would include basically all of the content on GOOGLE IMAGES, BING, YOU TUBE, etc. If you did not put the material there, you do not own it and cannot use it.
So, all the images of places, animals, people, celebrities, politicians, cartoons, etc. in the FIVE years of the blog, are the reason that I was dropped. Apparently, considering that I had probably published 10,000-15,000 photos, cartoons, graphics, etc over the course of the five years, WordPress received enough requests from copyright owners that I was considered a habitual offender.
Some of you are OK, because I know that you do not use any photos or graphic materials on your own blog. Many of you only post photos of your family or pets. That is fine, those are your photos. If you did not create your Header or your Avatar yourself, beware. If you have used GOOGLE or any search engine to download photos or materials, beware. If you have posted videos from YouTube, beware. If you have reposted funny cartoons, beware. You may be safe because you do not have the large amount of material on your blogs, but you too are liable to one day find your blog gone, forever.
On the other hand, I believe I did just as 95% of the blogging world does on a daily basis. You can read through hundreds of blogs and can instantly recognize that there is no way the blog author created all the digital material themselves. Do the people who write religious blogs only use the pics of Jesus that they took themselves? Do they only publish paintings of Jesus that they painted themselves? Did they write to the Vatican for permission to use these materials? Common sense says no.
I won’t use the “I was just doing the same thing everyone else was doing” defense because it won’t matter to WordPress. Everyone on the highway speeds but speeding is still against the law.”
Where do we stand?
Mostly I only use photos of my own dogs, occasionally I will use a picture from one of your blogs (always with a link back) and very rarely I use an image I retrieve from google, but I always try to link back to the page I found it on.
But I don’t get the express written consent of the author.
What do you think about this? Are you of the mind that I am, that if I attribute the image or content to the author or website I ganked from it’s okay or do you agree with WordPress that express permission is required to use someone else’s content? Does it make a difference if someone is profiting from your material?
2 brown dawgs says
One of the reasons I started watermarking my pictures is because I saw them showing up here and there with no attribution. I try to post original content on my blog or short quotes with links back to the source as I would for a research paper. If I were going to use something in total, I would get permission. If I use other’s pictures I try to attribute and get permission.
But I am wondering how WordPress squares this with their “reblog” function? I don’t think I can opt out of allowing others to reblog my posts. (Not that I would but it seems contradictory on their part.)
Jodi Stone says
That was part of his comment on facebook it was just too big to put in the post. He was freshly pressed twice both time with content that wasn’t attributed and they placed ads on his site with pictures that weren’t attributed. He said WP was hypocritical and he’s right.
How do you watermark the photo?
2 brown dawgs says
I was thinking of Freshly Pressed too, but I always thought that was attributed. I use Adobe Lightroom to edit and put the watermark on my photos. I think my new camera may have an option to do it in camera as well. I don’t think my pictures are worthy to help sell anything, but I hope that the watermark will discourage someone from grabbing them.
Look at this post: http://retrieverman.net/2011/06/13/ash-chesapeake-bay-retrievers/
That picture was grabbed off of Thunder’s breeder’s website and posted without attribution. In the picture is Thunder’s Mom, his brother, his daughter and his girlfriend…lol. Even after the breeder posted that it was her picture and some info on the color there was no response and no attribution except her own. grrrr
Jodi Stone says
Wow just three minutes on her site and I have four letter word in mind for her.
Your breeder should report her. Maybe her blogging platform shutting her site down will change her stuck up attitude.
2 brown dawgs says
I think retriever man is a dude. 🙂
Jodi Stone says
LOL you might be right. 🙂 What gave it away? 😉
caren gittleman says
I wish I were in a theater so that I may stand up and give you a STANDING OVATION!!!
I have been thinking about this issue quite a bit lately. Why? There is a dog blog I follow (that I will not name) that publishes MULTIPLE (and I MEAN multiple) posts a day, mostly photos. The majority of the photos are NOT hers. She does credit beneath the photos but I have always wondered where she is getting them, are they free, etc etc. I have wondered so often that I asked her. She hasn’t replied.
My blog as also been “pinged” from said blog. I am a little different than you. I don’t like it unless someone has taken the time to contact me FIRST and ask my permission to have my work re-blogged onto their blog. I should be flattered but I’m not. I WOULD be flattered if I were to be asked FIRST.
Now…I will contradict myself and say that I often pin photos from blogs onto my pinterest boards and am hoping that most aren’t bothered by that. If they were to be, they are welcome to contact me and I will take them down. I feel it helps to bring them more traffic.
2 brown dawgs says
I have share options on my blog and if people use them, I don’t mind. 🙂
caren gittleman says
So do I….”sharing” is different than copying and using the content on one’s own blog and attempting to pass it off as one’s own without crediting where it originated from.
I wasn’t referencing sharing on Facebook or twitter. 🙂
2 brown dawgs says
Oh I thought you were taking about pintrest, which I admit I still do not understand. 🙂
Rosemary says
First I want to say that I agree, it is wrong to copy all or part of a persons blog without linking where you got it from or getting permission in the first place. Same with pictures. That is what I would personally do.
But I think it can be broken down. I think a majority of people who post pictures on Facebook or videos YouTube don’t care, would almost never know their work was used or at least want to be credited so they get more people coming to their page.
On the other hand, you have professional people out there who might do this for fun but put a lot of work into what they did and want to be acknowledge for it. I know a woman who commissioned a comic from an artist and when it was done posted a picture of it to her journal. Pretty soon I was seeing it all over the place, as a whole, parts of it with added material and as icons. I think as the artist who created it and the person who paid for a one of a kind, unique comic, I’d be pretty pissed off.
I don’t know what kind of stuff the idiot speaketh put out there but really, it takes 5 seconds to credit someone or say I don’t know who did this. I don’t feel bad for him, especially from his response.
Jodi Stone says
I always try and credit where I took anything from! And I agree, people who post on facebook, and youtube are usually looking for shares, but what about Pinterest? That is a board just for pinning photos and as far as I know most people don’t credit where that came from.
If I was the person who paid for the comic, I would be pissed! Thanks for weighing in on this.
Married with Dawgs says
Technically I used a photo from the interwebs to make my Hurley Badger badge. Does this mean he’s not legally a badger???
In all seriousness, I do not think it’s right for a blog to exist solely for the purpose of reposting other people’s content without permission or attribution, which it sounds like that’s what the Idiot was doing. I try not to grab images from the interweb to use myself (and believe me, I was tempted – there was this awesome Dog Hulk cartoon someone did that would have been perfect to use in my Hurley Hulk Smash posts but I felt so wrong about using it so I didn’t). I do not blog professionally on Married with Dawgs and I don’t aspire to be a writer. I am doing this for a hobby and I don’t think I would care if someone grabbed one of my photos. I had that happen with a picture of Sadie. I had written a guest post for another blog and a third blog grabbed that photo. It was a post about positive pitbull images so I was actually tickled pink that my Sadie was chosen as an example.
Jodi Stone says
He wasn’t just reposting people’s content. He was writing his own posts and adding pictures to the posts from various google images he found.
For me it would be what the purpose of the gank was for. If say, Petco decided that one of my dogs was cute and used them in an ad to sell something, yes I would be pissed off and expect some form of payment, but if my photo was used as Sadie’s was I’d be pleased but would still expect some form of acknowledgement as to where the photo came from or who it belonged to.
I think it’s great that Sadie was an example, we need more of that!!
Peggy Frezon says
I don’t mind if snippets from my blog are used as long as they’re attributed back to me. I do think it’s polite for them to write and send a link, however, and let me know it’s out there. This rarely happens.
I definitely don’t think it’s right to steal images or content and claim it’s your own, but it’s also pretty scary to think of blogs being shut down because of using an occasional image or youtube video, with attribution. Yikes.
Jodi Stone says
I feel the same way Peggy, that is how we grow readers by having others share our works, but I do want credit for it.
In this case, I don’t think it was an occasional image, it was many.
Animalcouriers says
We’re behind you on this one. We only use photos we or our clients have taken on our blog. Should we ever need to illustrate something we don’t have a picture of, we would certainly give credit and a link back to the source. Now facebook, that is a whole other kettle of fish!
Jodi Stone says
Facebook, youtube and Pinterest, especially Pinterest. I do try to always use my own photos, I mean it’s my dogs I’m writing about and what’s the point of that if I’m not using pictures of them? 🙂
The "other" Jodi says
This is part of what prompted me to start using jump breaks in my post. If I get “scraped” it’s only until the jump break and then the link leads back to my blog if they want to read the full content. It’s a hassle for Feed Reader users, but I kind of feel like there has to be a line drawn somewhere between making content easy to read and letting ourselves get taken advantage of, you know?
Jodi Stone says
I don’t know how to use jump breaks or even what they are! LOL Are you surprised?
Blueberry's human says
Gosh – I never really gave it much thought. 99% of the time I only use pictures I’ve taken or the rescue org has in order to post dogs up for adoption but I asked them up front if they minded and they were fine with it.
I guess I wouldn’t really mind if anyone was using B’s photos unless they were profiting from it to promote their product. But I honestly don’t think any photos I take are worthy of putting on a product. She’s a beautiful dog – but I am far from a professional photographer like some bloggers! Their pictures are stunning and I don’t blame them at all for watermarking their pics!
Jodi Stone says
For me it really comes down to giving me credit for MY work and not using my work to sell a product. For instance if one of my dogs was shown on a website of someone promoting shock collars it would imply that I endorse that product, which is not the case. I guess I need to figure out how to watermark. 🙂
Julie says
Interesting. I try not to grab images from the web, it makes me nervous (not that anyone would find my little blog!) If I use content from a site (like the Humane Society) I always try to link back to their site. I would be pretty ticked about someone scraping an entire blog post and using it as their own – we all spend lots of time and energy creating our content – I’m glad she was able to do something about it!
We all tend to gank things from bloggers that we know, right? I think we are pretty safe! 🙂
Jodi Stone says
I like to think it’s okay to use if we are giving credit. I have to figure out what this Creative Commons is Julie, I’ll let you know. 😉
Gizmo (@GizmoGeodog) says
Great topic today…I’ve been noticing more and more blogs using watermarked photos and have been wondering how to do that…A quick search tells me that if I had photoshop I could do it there, but lacking that there are free watermark sites where you upload your photos, add the mark and then use them in your blog…it’s an extra step that I’ll be considering…Flickr has a service called picmarkr if you use Flickr
I try to always attribute anything I use from another blog to the original source…I think the only time i haven’t given credit is with a few YouTube videos I’ve added without direct attributions, but they do always link back to the original YouTube site…So am I playing fair? I hope so
How do you learn if your content has been scraped? How would I find that out?
caren gittleman says
Hi Gizmo! i don’t have PhotoShop but I add my watermarks from a free site called http://www.ribbet.com you can also do it free on http://www.picmonkey.com
they all have things that you can use to spruce up your photos 🙂
Jodi Stone says
Thanks Caren for leaving the link. I’m going to have to think about this, going to Flickr to upload photos is just one more step for me and I already spend so much time blogging. I’m not really sure what the answer is.
caren gittleman says
I didn’t leave the link for checking content scraping (but you are welcome!!) 🙂 …I left the two for making watermarks if people don’t have PhotoShop (like I don’t)
About the content scraping link…I have a feeling you have to put each INDIVIDUAL blog post html link in to check……not the blog as a whole. I tried with both blogs just using the general link and it showed nothing…I DO know of re-blogging instances so I think maybe we have to check by using the link of an individual blog post. Does anyone know if that is the case?
Coralee says
Such a tricky subject, and so much confusing and conflicting information out there! I recently read a post by a woman who had ‘innocently’ been using Google photos on her blog and got nabbed (sorry I don’t have the link!). Just because it’s out there doesn’t mean we can use… but the whole process of obtaining permission and attributing can be very difficult and often obscure.
As for detecting if you’ve been scraped, you can go to a site like http://www.copyscape.com. You enter the URL of your post/page and it searches to see if it exists anywhere else.
caren gittleman says
oh wow! Thanks for that link! I am heading over!
Gizmo (@GizmoGeodog) says
Thanks for sharing that link…I’ll be saving that one
Jodi Stone says
I agree, I think the waters are super murky on this topic. Thanks for leaving that link, I checked and couldn’t find anything about my blog. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not! LOL
emma says
Boy, that is a fine line a lot of times. I usually just post my own photos but sometimes someone gives me photos to post and I use them but don’t say that I had permission on my blog, I have the permission in an email on my computer. As for copying a post without consent, that is simply not nice. Sometimes I read a post and get an idea for a similar post but I use my own words for it. The internet is still a place that is deciding how it needs to be policed, so I think that until rules are really set in stone we all have to be super careful of what we do online. I would be devastated if my blog were taken down, I have it backed up but I want to be the one that decides when it goes down.
Jodi Stone says
Well in the instance that you have their permission I think you are okay, and yes I agree the internet is still a wide open issue.
Please tell, how do you back up your blog?
jan says
When I first starting blogging it was a real problem with people reposting my entire post without a link back. I think they were just ignorant of what they were doing. I used the copyscape link above and politely told them that they should link back to the source. I haven’t had the problem for years although I keep checking copyscape.
lexy says
Since reading a post (that, unfortunately, i coudln’t point out for you for the life of me) by a woman who did, like the Idiot, use random internet pictures in her posts, who ended up with a lawsuit on her hands by someone whose photo she used without permission, I try to ask permission before using photos. Mostly, I just use photos I’ve taken, now, or I use this site: http://search.creativecommons.org/ to find photos that have permission already and link back to the pic. Youtube… i use, and I’m really hoping noone comes after me for the occasional video. I’m surprised that WordPress would suddenly (5 years and not a single warning, even?!) take down his blog.
I’m especially careful with anything artistic – if the picture looks professional, or if it’s artwork, I don’t want to use it without direct permission from the person. And I have had people decline to have their artwork on my blog.
Jodi Stone says
I’ve noticed the work you use on your site and it seems to me you always give credit. I will be checking out that creative commons site, thank you for posting that link.
As for Youtube, I think it’s a different animal, most people put their videos up with the hopes of having them go viral. 🙂
Pamela | Something Wagging This Way Comes says
The quote from the “Idiot” sounds like he didn’t know what copyright is. It’s the same for online content as it is offline content. My guess was he didn’t major in humanities in college. 🙂
That said, I like the idea of free knowledge so I’ve decided to put a Creative Commons license on Something Wagging This Way Comes that allows anyone to repost text or pictures without prior permission if it’s for noncommercial purposes.
My pictures aren’t good enough to attract any notice. But I know one blogger who occasionally reblogs my post with a link to the original and I’m fine with it.
For me, the discomfort being scraped was because it was by a company trying to get link bait to sell cell phones. But if someone in the blogging community wants to share, it helps them get content and the links benefit me.
When I occasionally post an image from someone else’s site, it’s because I’m reviewing their site or giving an award. I email or ping them to make sure they know. And I do it with bloggers I have a relationship with. It sounds like the “Idiots” problem was more one of bad manners than anything.
If anyone is looking for images on the creative commons, they can do it from Flickr by hitting “advanced search.” Or you can use Photo pin which only has creative commons images from Flickr. It also provides a hypertext link you can put at the bottom of your post to do the attribution.
BTW, 2 Brown Dawgs asked the smart question. What is reblogging anyway? And how is it ok? Or is it assuming everyone is asking for permission first.
Thanks for opening up this discussion, Jodi. It seems like there are a lot of questions and misunderstandings. Perhaps it’s worth reposting as a guest post at the BlogPaws sites.
Jodi Stone says
Well this should come as no surprise to you Pamela, but I have no idea how to post as a guest. LOL
I think this is the first time I have ever used a photo directly from someone’s blog, I do hope you will forgive me for using yours without contacting you first.
I’ve been of the mindset that if I am referencing someone and providing a link back to them and their blog that I’m doing right by them, perhaps I should always ask first.
And I agree with you, I have far less of a problem having someone say, oh this was a great post, or what a cute dog than I do with someone using my content to try and make money.
I will be checking out your Creative Commons license. 🙂
As for the Idiot, the way he explained it to me was, “Many of the goofy photos and graphics I had on the old site had hundreds of copies on google images and there was no way anyone could track down who the original author was.”
I just want people to know about this, to avoid anyone else getting locked out of his blog. He has five years worth of work that he cannot access.
Thanks for jumping in on this.
Bev says
Something to consider about “noncommercial purposes.” I believe that if you have advertisements on your blog (for instance, you’re part of an affiliate program), or you lists $$ rates for doing posts, your blog could be considered “commercial.” Just another thing to think about as we navigate the tricky waters of copyright.
Jodi Stone says
Does that make a difference Bev, if your blog is commercial or personal?
fallconsmate says
speeding is against the law, indeed. and even if you were “just keeping up with everyone else”, it doesnt make it any more legal!
i have occasionally reblogged something, yes. i have also said EXACTLY where i reblogged from AND provided a link…or said “hey, this person has a really great blog post *here*, go read it!”. once or twice its been “i read about X subject on another blog/journal, and didnt want to take up the fight there because hey, manners. what do you, my friends who read here, think of X subject? my opinion is *blah-de-blah*” becase again, manners, and i dont want my friends going over there and ganging up on the other person!
i think *those* uses are ok. i’m not stealing anyone else’s words (except for perhaps a few line quote to get people’s interest up in the subject, always attributed to the original author *and* linked back to the blog/article i’m speaking about) because *that* wouldnt be honest or honorable. and i try like anything to be those two things.
how’s that saying go? “someday i hope to be the person my dog thinks i am”? cause i know the wee servicebeast thinks i’m the Queen of the Universe. and i’d like to keep up her image of me. 🙂
Jodi Stone says
LOL yes I want my dogs to think the best of me too! I will go so far as to say the idea for this post came about when I was reading so and so’s blog. I think it’s important to acknowledge where it comes from. Somehow I don’t think we’ve seen the last of this topic. 🙂
Tegan says
I am surprised that people still think they can rip images willy-nilly. All the images on my blog are either purchased for use, or supplied (with conditions) from the creator of the images. I go onto DeviantArt Stock a lot and just ask people if I can use their picture/s on my blog. Most are happy to as long as I credit them, which is cool, but I wouldn’t just use them without seeking (and gaining!) their permission first.
Doggy Dessert Chef says
As it should be!
Jodi Stone says
I guess I’m lucky in almost 100% of the pictures on this blog are mine. But I do admit I have used an occasional picture, but always with credit when I know where it came from.
Sue at Talking Dogs says
Great post! Great discussion!
I’m sensitive to the issue because it comes up so often in some artisan groups I belong to, especially among the photographers. Though I’m not too worried about any of my images being re-used, I’ve been trying to remember to watermark my own photos. (and not doing too well at that because I just can’t keep it in my head!) When I use images from another source, which is rare, I do include an attribute. However, those are primarily photos from shelters/rescues or products that I’m reviewing, so I admit to not being diligent. Especially due to the rise of Pinterest, I think a lot of people do not even understand this issue.
Words are another thing entirely and my blog has been scraped in the past. I have no time to spend searching the web to check on such things, but when I find them, I do report them.
You’ve got me worried a bit about sharing YouTube videos. Definitely need to do some checking on that since I use them every Saturday :-0
Jodi Stone says
I think we’re safe with youtube because that is the whole point of youtube. I think you are so right, “a lot of people do not even understand this issue.” Amen Sue!
Debbie says
Well, this is rather disconcerting! Before I got seriously into blogging, reposting interesting articles was something I did often, because I didn’t know any better. Always credited the source, though. Of course, that practice was discontinued, as soon as I learned it was bad form. As for the images and Youtube videos; this does upset me, as I have used both, frequently. Music is a huge part of my blog and I was given to understand that was okay to do. It’s not????!! I often use images from those free graphic sites and the photos are ones that appear on multiple other sites, too. Much food for thought here. How depressing that I may have to redo the entire blog! 🙁 Thanks for shedding light on this, Jodi.
Jodi Stone says
I’m not sure you’d have to redo the entire blog Debbie, but it’s something to consider when writing future posts. Maybe when you are searching for photos or music include the word free in the search and see if the creator has any stipulations on it.
I still thinks it’s a very gray area, like the video I posted in WTF Wednesday says right across it, “Please Share.”
I really just want to save someone the nightmare the Idiot is going through.
Debbie says
Thanks Jodi. I have been in contact with “The Idiot” myself. Very nice man and I feel sorry for what happened to him. In the meantime, my blog has been switched to a self-hosted site; something that was planned anyway, just not so soon. This really is a confusing issue, to be sure. Youtube videos all have multiple sharing mechanisms and I was told by someone running a website some time ago that they were okay to post.
Think I’ll do some more research and write a related article.
Jodi Stone says
He is a super nice guy! I feel bad for him too, and hope he gets things straightened out. I do think we are okay with Youtube, only because people WANT their videos to go viral!
Jen@MyBrownNewfies says
Interesting topic. I occasionally see my pictures elsewhere and it doesn’t bother me as long as I am acknowledge for the picture. I use to watermark all my pictures but people we’re just cropping out the watermark and it got time consuming. I just keep an eye out now and if need I make a few calls,
Jodi Stone says
I’ve never seen my pictures anywhere but on my blog. I guess in my case it works to my advantage that I’m a crappy photographer!
Donna says
I had read something like this a few months ago, and afterwards I went in and got rid of any photos I had taken from the internet, aside from photos of dogs for adoption. I’m hoping no-one would report me for something like that! Since most of my photos are my own anyway, there weren’t that many to remove, but I did find two or three. I didn’t take them maliciously, or claim they were my own, but I removed them all the same.
Just in case.
As for my own blog, Nick put up a standard copyright when he set up the website for me, but I really don’t mind if someone uses my photos or my posts, although, a link back would be nice. My fiction I’m a bit more protective of. I don’t mind if someone prints it to show someone else, but I wouldn’t want it published elsewhere without my permission, but the stories on my site have an extra copyright notice on them, where my posts and photos do not…
Jodi Stone says
I have a blanket copyright on the bottom of the site, and rarely use photos that aren’t mine. I used Pamela’s just to prove a point. 🙂 It’s scary to think someone would come in and shut you down.
Carol Bryant says
Very interesting, indeed. I had heard of this practice and have seen it in action, have been victimized by it. I wrote to the person and asked it be removed, as it was not to inform but to help sell some crappy product they had.
However, this is something this is good fodder for BlogPaws and I am thankful that was brought up in this thread. Very valuable information and one more reason I am very grateful for the blogging community of pet people at large.
On a last note, I take my camera everywhere. I have thousands of photos that I own in my files. I took the pictures, and I go to a LOT of pet-friendly events, expos, and do a lot with my dog and dog friends. It’s a lot easier when you own the pictures not to worry about lifting any.
Bev says
Hi Jodi! Great article!
1. You quote the Idiot as saying: “…WordPress received enough requests from copyright owners that I was considered a habitual offender.” If enough people contacted WordPress.com about him, I’m willing to bet that many of them also contacted him–did he ignore those red flags? I think so. Also, he was in violation of WordPress.com’s Terms of Service. WordPress was well within their rights to delete his blog. As bloggers, we need to know, understand, and abide by the TOS of whatever company hosts our blogs.
2. Why the heck did he let 5 years go by without backing up his blog?????
Doggy Dessert Chef says
I spend hours each week trying to remove my photos and recipes from site using them with out my permission, it’s maddening. I don’t think people understand how much time and effort goes into creating something. Hours of work may have gone into that picture that you just right-clicked on and posted to your blog. As far as I’m concerned if you don’t have permission from the contents creator you shouldn’t be posting it.
fallconsmate says
i was just curious…of COURSE finding your creations on someone else’s site without permission is infuriating, i absolutely agree. but do you feel the same about someone saying they had tried one of your recipes then linking back to YOUR site to show where they had found it?
Tegan says
I don’t think any web creator minds people linking to their content! It’s when content is taken and distributed source-less or (worse) as someone else’s.
That is, I can share the link to heartlikeadog.com as much as I please. But if I actually copy and paste content from this blog into my own, that is theft.
Doggy Dessert Chef says
I love that, you have no idea how good it feels to know someone liked a recipe enough to share it on the blog/site they work so hard on. That is something I will never have an issue with.
Sue at The Golden Life (aka samsnortherngirl.wordpress.com) says
It’s just a matter of simple, decent, human courtesy to ask someone if you may re-blog their entire post, a portion of their post, or anything else. The only time I don’t do it is for the posts of one of my dear friends BUT ONLY BECAUSE she has already given me expressed permission to re-blog any of her posts that I feel other friends would enjoy and I always mention her blog (and link back to it by re-blogging it) in my re-blog. These “content scrapers” need to learn some manners, to say the least! Shame on them!
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