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I have heard this has happened to a few bloggers before but never imagined that it could happen to me. Why would it? I am a small town blogger, who would want to plagiarize my posts?
You can imagine the shock I was in when I came across a blog post that was EXACTLY like the one I had written last month minus a few teeny tiny additions. I was floored and it literally felt like I was punched in the stomach.
To make sure I wasn’t totally losing it I asked a few friends to compare the posts and see what their thoughts were. They all confirmed with me {what I already knew} that it was my post. The same title, similar photo, content and even the same question at the end of the post.
I am not about being snarky or calling people out in public. But I do feel really upset by the entire situation. I take blogging seriously. This is my space, my little world where I get to express my feelings and write about my own personal experiences. I work hard to create interesting and unique posts that come from my heart.
Not to mention one of my goals with my blog is to support other bloggers and highlight their efforts and amazing articles on my new feature Friday Favorites. Blogging has become a very important part of my life and I am meeting so many wonderful women that I can now call my “friends”.
I emailed the “blogger” and asked her to either remove the post or credit me. She finally responded and said that she did get the idea from me and that it wasn’t copied word for word.
But where do we draw the line? By changing a few words in the post and adding maybe one or two of your own thoughts is that considered your own unique post or is that still plagiarizing?
I would of felt so much better if she gave me the credit from the beginning. I understand that reading other bloggers’ posts will inspire you at times or give you an idea {in some cases it could be a similar one}. But you should never copy a post, change a few words {or names} and then try to pass it off as your own. It doesn’t work that way.
I assume if this was a high school term paper and a teacher found this, both parties would be punished for cheating because in the end plagiarism is cheating.
I have to say even though it really made me upset {literally couldn’t sleep last night because I was in so much shock} I sort of feel honored in a way. I mean someone really thinks that my post was good enough to copy and use as their own? ….Ok that was only half kidding!
I tossed the idea around about posting about this topic but I really felt compelled to. It is a serious issue that a lot of bloggers face and it needs to stop.
One important thing I learned is to make sure your site is copyright protected by using www.MyFreeCopyRight.com.
I would be curious if anyone else has dealt with this situation before and how you handled it?
{ 41 comments… read them below or add one }
I would be SO UPSET if i found my work had been taken and posted some where else. I mean it is a *bit* flattering in a way – but no – it is more angering.
I am sorry you had your hard work stolen and passed off as someone else’s work – you dont deserve that.
I really do hope they remove the plagiarized post!
((Hugs)) ♥
.-= Devan @ Accustomed Chaos´s last blog ..Work In Progress: Transition From CoSleeping to Own Room =-.
Oh, how awful! Is the post still up? They have to take it down. I’m curious, did you just stumble across it, or how did you find it?
I would be FUMING. That is just not OK. I would want her to take it down for sure. I’ve never had this happen to me, and I hope it never does.
.-= Michelle @ Mommy Loves Stilettos´s last blog ..♥The Happiness Project: Sparkly Stiletto Edition – and not the stripper kind. =-.
I am so sorry that that happened to you. I can totally see being a little flattered too but why didn’t she just credit you? How silly. Like didn’t I tell you I am doing Friday Favorites too on my blog? LAME!!!
.-= Rachel @ Mommy Needs a Vacation´s last blog ..Whine-a-Palooza =-.
Actually I was on Twitter and saw a title of a new post that was the same as one of mine. I didn’t really think much of it but decided to check it out and was floored when I saw it. Funny I didnt realize it until almost the end…I checked mine out and it was the same content, just a few words and 1 or 2 sentences added.
No she didn’t take it down…she wrote “inspired by Life Without Pink”. If anyone saw that and clicked on mine they would see that they are VERY SIMILAR! It is upsetting.
I am so sorry that happened to you! That is awful. I agree, the person should have given you the credit from the beginning. I haven’t had to deal with this, but it still is frustrating when it happens to someone you “know.” I love reading your blog and its obvious how much time and effort you put into your posts and for someone to just take it is appalling. I am so sorry.
I’m curious as to how you found this? Were you just surfing fellow bloggers and came across it? That is horrible for someone to do. I find it common sense as a human to know it’s NOT OK to copy some one elses writing or to even write something Extremely similar.
) Maybe you can see it as a very odd “compliment” that she wanted to copy you? Just a thought!
Hope it doesn’t happen to you again, but being a good writer, I bet it probably will
I guess I should be somewhat flattered? Maybe that is sick to feel that way, haha.
I can’t say that I’ve ever dealt with it, but I can certainly say that it absolutely positively upsets me…and that’s putting it nicely!
Obviously the blogger knows that she’s guilty of it because she refuses to give you credit. Or at least to me that’s a sign of guilt.
She probably doesn’t want to go give you the credit because people have read it…they would only learn that it was never hers to begin with.
Honestly, I’m just floored. I don’t understand how people can feel good about themselves for that. I just don’t. All I can say is maybe you should add a copyright to your content and you should then just wait for the day that someone who reads her blog comes across yours and realizes the problem.
I would also be very upset if someone copied my stuff!
(I don’t make money on my “AuntJayne’s Blog” anyway.)
Well, not my recipes. Everyone and anyone is welcome to use them
I am glad that you didn’t just let it go, and I would be going back and checking periodically to make sure it hasn’t happened again.
Take care of you,
Aunt Jayne
P.S. I love your blog – I have been here a few times before.
.-= Aunt Jayne´s last blog ..Celiac and Testing =-.
I’m new to your blog, but I’ve had something simular happen, of course it hurts and is totally annoying. I contacted the girl as well, and she took it off, which I was very thankful for. It’s just inconsiderate!
Hopefully she learns her lesson!
She’s a lazy bum. Won’t last long stealing other people’s work. She’s lucky your husband isn’t a lawyer…like mine
Litigation is my middle name.
There have been times when I’ve stumbled across posts that seem similar to my own or I have written something (and saved it in drafts) only to come across someone else’s very similar post.
I think with all the stuff going on we’re bound to find similar posts or have similar views and posts but copying some one’s words almost exactly is a line we should never cross.
I’m glad you were able to confront the person….what an uncomfortable position to be in.
Keep up the awesome work…you obviously are idolized!
.-= Kerri´s last blog ..Comment-Love Letter #16 =-.
I am so sorry that happened to you! So not cool…
.-= IASoupMama´s last blog ..Ultra Violet =-.
I would be irate. I-frickin-rate. Like I assume most bloggers do, I take extreme pride in my work. I have no problem with “inspiring” others, but this sounds like it wasn’t merely inspiration.
.-= Erin´s last blog ..How I’m planning on making sure my daughter is a great dancer =-.
Sorry lady, that’s a total bummer
I have Google Alerts set up on all variations of my name and URL and have been shocked at the places I have found my posts. I had to have an attorney send a cease and desist b/c one site was scrapping every, single, post I wrote. It was a pain.
While at CBS someone suggested setting up alerts on each post, on a line from it or on the file name of photos used. I haven’t gone that far yet because I want to believe in the good of people but I am starting to wonder….
Sorry this happened to you, I know how much it sucks!
.-= Melissa´s last blog ..Drizzled =-.
I actually found a site this morning that had swiped one of my posts, and then took it down. I didn’t have the chance to find out why they removed it so quickly, my only guess is that they saw my copyright disclaimer and decided to take it off to save their asses.
Thanks for the free copyright website info!
.-= The Suburban Princess´s last blog ..Tag! I’m so it. =-.
Wow, so NOT OK!!! I wouldn’t see a problem at all if you called out the blogger and posted a link to their, or rather YOUR, article. It would be nice to know who the plagiarists are out there in blog-land. Perhaps by calling them out, they would learn to become more accountable! Just a thought.
Anyways, such a bummer to know that it happened to you. I hope it’s the first AND last time.
-Aimee
.-= Aimee @ Ain’t Yo Mama’s Blog´s last blog ..Mental Monday: Extreme Encouragement =-.
holy cow….I never would have thought…..that is craziness at it’s finest….I just don’t get it…blogging is about our own personal thoughts and ideas…..we can write about whatever it is we want…I would hope that this bloggers life is interesting enough that she wouldn’t need to copy someone elses….
.-= Lesley´s last blog ..Introducing Your Mommy Blogger of the Year: The Motherload! =-.
I would be SEETHING if I found out someone stole my writing. My photography has already been shoplifted and ended up on handbags in Japan.
I have been using a copyright thing for the past couple of months. I dare someone to try and mess with me now!
.-= Salt´s last blog ..Take me out to the ballgame… =-.
Well, I have never written anything cool enough to steal. Or either making up your own adjectives really makes it hard for people to take credit for your own brain birth. Sorry that happened to you.
I think she should have initially credited you, but since she was a stink about it, I think she should remove it. I mean, to me, the Golden Rule applies to life as well as blogging.
Two notes:
1. I guess you can consider yourself now “arrived.”
2. Try using the Embed Article plugin. You can see it on my blog. It completely prevents the copy/paste by overriding that function. What happens is, when people try to copy the text, a pop up will ask them what they are doing. It will prevent them from outright copying it. But it will allow people to re-publish your content, but only with an attribute directly to you (so, a back link for you) as well as any advertising. So you could even monetize it.
It’s worth it. Check it out.
.-= Tia´s last blog ..Two Cents Tuesday: 5 Great Reasons Not to Give Up On Your Blog =-.
I have had this happen too. I will email you about it. I haven’t said anything to the blogger.
Would you like to press on and get her to remove the post? There are some things you can do to make it very uncomfortable for this thief from her end.
Lorelle has a nice article on copyright that is still being referenced.
I would be livid!!
Sorry about that.
Looking into copywriting now! Not that I am a brilliant writer or anything, but this is my work… KWIM? Give credit where credit is due.
I think it’s almost impossible to feel flattered when you feel so betrayed. As bloggers, most of what we write is personal, from the heart content. When someone takes that and makes it theirs, they are stealing a piece of you and your life. If people don’t have enough original blog fodder of their own, they should reconsider blogging. That’s what I love about blog reading – exploring everyone’s personal expresssions whether it’s their content or their blog design.
Keep up the great writing, Tina!!
Thanks for posting this, I hope getting this out there will help protect others from plagiarism. I’ve also protected my site as well and I am sure others are thanking you too for making this public so we can now all protect ourselves in the future.
I have not had this happen to me yet and I’m not sure how I would feel. Maybe because it hasn’t happened that part of me feels like “wow< what an honor"? I hope that doesn't sound too horrible. But Damn, isn't that a mark of making it big, some one wants to copy you. It's like high school all over again and you found the prettiest prom dress and now someone wants to try to pull off your look.
Sorry your feelings were hurt. It sucks that they didnt' at least give you credit, which they should
have done. But good for you for confronting!
Great guest post by the way! Your 4 year old is a cutie!
This is so tough, because I think it’s just something that we take the risk of happening to us as bloggers. You are so right though, I never think that this sort of thing will happen to me. We work so hard on our posts and put effort, time, and thought into them, and for someone to just take them and pass them off as their own is inexcusable. Using a post for inspiration is fine, but link back to it or at least mention it!
Copying someone else’s creativity is just plain lazy, in my book. Wonder if this so-called “blogger” has copied anybody else’s hard work?
I must admit, this makes me a tad nervous.
Girl – You know how I feel. If they can’t come up with their own content, they SHOULD NOT BE BLOGGING!!!
Sorry it happened to you mama – hope you get it sorted out soon…
Check out my blog, I just gave you a blog award :
Oh yeah this stinks…I have had sneaking suspicions my stuff has been borrowed, but not sure. I worked in magazines and weddings and had my stuff swiped including my proprietary literature for the business.
Unfortunately in this electronic world…when you throw it out there it can end up anywhere and there are some really awful people around.
.-= Holly L´s last blog ..Tickled Pink No. 11 with a HOP!! =-.
This is one of my biggest fears. That is why I have had my stuff copywrited from the beginning. I am curious, how did you find the post? Was it on a normal blog you read?
I am SO sorry that has happened to you! In a way that is a compliment.. but, that is SO terrible that someone could do that! Hang in there! Have a great weekend:)
Sorry that happened, that completely sucks..maybe you should post a comment like: Nice post! It was better the first time around and provide a link.
I’m with you – I don’t get 40,000 hits/month so I’ve never even considered that it would happen to a “small town blogger”
I have had the same thing happen FOUR times! That is why whenever someone follows me on Twitter or Facebook, I follow them back. I use MyFreeCopyright.com, but it still gets tedious dealing with it.
.-= Heidi´s last blog ..Coupon for TX Jumping Beans Party =-.
Yes, it has. And that’s why I got my freecopyright. I clicked over to a blogger that was coming to my site like 4 times a day..and she’s pretty big, like 700 followers. Well, I click over one weekend, and she has the same picture I had and the same content I had. The post I had just posted !! Then she took my next 2 posts and did the same idea and sort of the same pic. Same theme, but a different angle.
I emailed, she said, “yeh, you gave me the idea, but I wrote it.”
Dang, can you believe that??? and she’s a lawyer, too. A big one. Or, so she says…maybe she’s copying someone else’s life, too.
I think I would be incensed.
I’ve never been flat out copied but I have come across several sites where they have basically copied and pasted my post and linked it back to me and been oh, I like this: (insert my post).
I wouldn’t be bothered by it if it was a blog friend or someone I knew but it seems to be random-how do you feel about that?
I know of 3 bloggers who had their work plagiarized. I wrote two posts on ways to protect your published contents. Of course, there are no sure fire ways to protect your work. If someone wants to steal your work, it will be done. Google penalizes people who steal others’ work by removing their blogs or delisting them. To find out how to file a complaint with Google, you can read more here:
http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=66359
That is something I’ve heard about it, and like many other things… you just think it won’t happen to you. It’s just hard to understand anyone doing that. Sure, I have read great posts with catchy titles and thought, “Why didn’t I think of that” but props to her… NEVER steal. That’s crazy.
.-= Gina ´s last blog ..Are Frogs Pro-Life A Message Of Hope =-.
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