Hi guys, I need to know if it is legal to copy & publish an article without putting the website link but instead, just the person name. I recently had an argument with a colleague because he said it is legal. But i have always been thinking its illegal. This friend actually published an article from www.msn.com . And he just simply put the name of the article writer without putting the site link. What do you think? Your reply will trigger my doing so to. if its illegal then i would never try it and also want my colleague Thanks
I'm not sure if its illegal but if the original owner finds out they'll most likely contact your hosting company. The hosting co. will then ask you to take it down.
It's absolutely illegal. It's called copyright infringement. You cannot take an article from another source and publish it on your site, unless you have their permission to do so. I find it highly unlikely that MSN gave that permission (in fact, what your friend stole may have been something they licensed, at a hefty fee, from another source). Neither a byline or link back makes it legal. Permission from the copyright owner (which often is not the author, especially if they're a full-time staffer), is the only way you can legally use a full article in the way you're talking about. For example, when you go to an article directory, their terms clearly state you can use the content with the links and such intact. The copyright holders agree to grant you that license when they publish there. Most true online publishers (those paying for content from professionals or publishing their own content to their site) do not give that permission (some even have terms that explicitly forbid publishing from their RSS feeds, and many others charge for reprints). If you're in the U.S. I suggest you spend some time perusing the U.S. Copyright Office's site - www.copyright.gov. If you're located elsewhere, I suggest you find a similar agency in your country - many countries' rules are very similar to those in the U.S. (the U.K. and India come to mind).
Thanks very very much. This about one of the best replies i've gotten in this forum. A comprehensive one that says it all. Thanks again
Not a problem. Something else your friend should keep in mind is that even content in RSS feeds are protected by copyrights. The owner doesn't have to include a formal notice there for it to be protected. I'm only mentioning that, because I don't know if your friend is pulling the content that way or manually copying and pasting. So even in that case, they should be sure to get the copyright holder's permission - never assume you have the right to use something. Always ask for it.
it depends on the original content holder i think and how far they are willing to go to protect their content, also whoever dublicates other peoples work put him/herself in danger of being punished for dublicate content.
it is illegal and stupid because the site will not benefit by putting duplicate content. Fresh and original content make Google happy.
Thanks again, but what do you know about using pictures? I normally search for pictures on Google image and put them on my website, is it legal?
Again, No. The fact that something is indexed in Google images does not mean you're allowed to use it or publish it in any way. Photos are protected by copyright, just as text is. Again, you need to get your images from a source offering a license (look at something like www.sxc.hu for free ones for example or better ones that are still inexpensive at www.stockxpert.com). If you can't get a license, you have to ask for permission, or be using the images in a way that constitutes fair use. Most webmasters' usage would not be considered fair use (using to accompany an article or blog post, using them in e-books they're selling, etc.). Again, you'll need to review www.copyright.gov. Every situation is different, and that will give you all the information you need.
A couple of additional comments... 1. Some websites (like the article directories) do in fact let you copy their articles as long as you include the byline and its links. The precise terms under which you can copy are spelled out pretty clearly. But in that case, you're essentially paying the content owner using a link. 2. I believe it's still the case that if you do copy content and the content owner finds out, they can get Google to blacklist your site for certain search terms. I went through this process a few years ago with a guy in West Virginia pretending to be a CPA. He copied my entire CPA site, www.stephenlnelson.com, so it was pretty blatant. But Google would exclude his site from search terms I provided that led to the plagarized content. This could/would be a website killer if you think about... (If someone is interested in this, visit http://www.google.com/dmca.html.)
Thanks so much once again, you have been a great responder. Can i PM you if i have some other questions & maybe add you to my buddy list?
If you are in doubt, always ask the owner or the author's permission. Remember, this simple courtesy could result in the licensee or the owner giving you the OK but they woud normally ask in return for a link back to them. It has sometime worked for me
Yes, you can feel free to PM me with future questions. But I'd suggest questions of this nature should be put into a public thread. This way others can learn from it and not make similar mistakes related to copyrights. It also gives other people a chance to weigh in.