Can I face legal issues?

Discussion in 'Legal Issues' started by Technical Hosting, May 13, 2008.

  1. #1
    I just launched my Technology Blog. But in order to get Technology news I will have to visit news websites, etc. If I rewrite their story but in a different manner can I face legal issues? Afterall news has to come from somewhere.
     
    Technical Hosting, May 13, 2008 IP
  2. flippers.be

    flippers.be Peon

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    #2
    no you can re-write news (or use several articles to make 1)
    just make sure there are enough differences

    what you can also do is check the original company if they have press releases and use that as a source to make your own article
     
    flippers.be, May 13, 2008 IP
  3. mjewel

    mjewel Prominent Member

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    #3
    Read the copyright sticky at the top of thread. The short answer is, maybe.
     
    mjewel, May 13, 2008 IP
  4. phinelinda

    phinelinda Well-Known Member

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    #4
    no, nothing will happen. if something does, just remove the article. that's it.
    if you're not in the US, then don't give a damn anyway.
     
    phinelinda, May 13, 2008 IP
  5. LevaCygnet

    LevaCygnet Peon

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    #5
    I'd contact the companies you're referencing and ask to be put on their mailing list. Work from their press releases. It's what the big boys do. Plus, you're likely to get images you can use with the press releases, too.
     
    LevaCygnet, May 13, 2008 IP
  6. sheilasultani

    sheilasultani Peon

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    #6
    Maybe put a references line below the blog and include them. Make sure you read the copyright, see if using their info is expressly forbidden. Sometimes you jsut have to send an email to a company and ask for permission.

    Here's a copy of a copyright from the New York Times

     
    sheilasultani, May 14, 2008 IP
  7. Sem-Advance

    Sem-Advance Notable Member

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    #7
    If your running a tech blog why wouldn't you just write original content and not worry about the issues????

    Most rewritten work is junk and as such won't bring visitors who will stay subscribed.....

    Just my 1 cent adjusted for inflation and economic woes.
     
    Sem-Advance, May 14, 2008 IP
  8. olddocks

    olddocks Notable Member

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    #8
    why not just use RSS feeds to display news in your site. RSS/XML feeds are the way to go without the breach of copyright of any other potential issue.
     
    olddocks, May 14, 2008 IP
  9. bragn

    bragn Peon

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    #9
    I don't know any legal details on this one, but seriously, is it possible to be charged for writing about the same thought - be it a news or some encyclopedia entry - in different words? >.> For me, claiming copyright to an idea is just absurd.. On the other hand, the world IS full of absurdities (IMO ESPECIALLY legal ones :|)
     
    bragn, May 15, 2008 IP
  10. glasglow

    glasglow Active Member

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    #10
    If you rewrite it well enough technically it becomes more like your own article. Try copyscape a few times to see if you are completely rewriting it. It's not uncommon to copy news and I've never heard of anyone going to court for "news stealing"
     
    glasglow, May 15, 2008 IP
  11. mjewel

    mjewel Prominent Member

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    #11
    There actually have been quite a few lawsuits for copyright infringement on news stories. The AP has sued for merely posting a snippet and their story heading even when it included a link to their site and the entire article (like what google news does).

    You can write a story about the same news story, but you just can't go through an article and change some words in each paragraph and automatically think you are getting around infringement. It can often be a grey area.
     
    mjewel, May 15, 2008 IP
  12. Seaji

    Seaji Banned

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    #12
    be careful is all i can say manAN
     
    Seaji, May 15, 2008 IP
  13. LevaCygnet

    LevaCygnet Peon

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    #13
    I run a news site. Generally speaking, you're fine as long as you completely rewrite the article. News -- facts -- aren't copyrightable. Tell the story in your own words and you're fine.

    It's also generally polite to credit your source, however, including a good link back. (I get annoyed when other sites credit mine and then nofollow the link -- that's not what nofollow is for.) Typically, if we've picked up a story that another site(s) broke, we'll say something like:

    $SiteNameWithLink is reporting that $FactsOfTheStory.

    Then we often expand a bit on the story, providing details that the other site didn't provide.

    Alternately, if multiple other sites are reporting the story, we'll link at the end, as credits for the article.

    Giving credit also gives you some plausible deniability if the other site has their facts wrong, particularly if it's a breaking story. You're just reporting what THEY said. Which puts the heat back on them if they screwed it up.

    But again, facts can't be copyrighted, just the arrangement of words -- the article -- itself. So you're fine to take facts from other stories.

    You can also quote another story as long as it's only a few words, then expand on what they said, or correct the other news site. Is fine.

    Where you may run into trouble is if you copy the bulk of their article without substantial rewriting.

    It's kinda shady if ALL you do is report on what other news sites are writing, however. Do some research on your own -- interview people -- cultivate contacts -- get on press lists -- write how-to articles and opinion pieces. Etc. You'll have a better site for it, and you'll be more likely to have regular readers. If your news is exactly the same as $BigNameSite every time, but is coming hours or days later, people will go to $BigNameSite first.
     
    LevaCygnet, May 15, 2008 IP
  14. so.ray2000

    so.ray2000 Peon

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    #14
    if u quote from others, you have to specify the reference
     
    so.ray2000, May 15, 2008 IP