A photo taken on a hike earlier today that I want to share with this blog's visitors --
and for the record, the blog in question's URL
is http://webs-of-significance.blogspot.com
Today, my regular hiking companion and I went on a cool hike that took us from Discovery Bay to Mui Wo on a hot and humid day. Along the way, we encountered a number of interesting critters, got to behold several scenic and panoramic vistas and also visited a Trappist monastery's chapel. In an ideal world, this hike would be the focus of today's blog entry. However, this isn't the case because... well, do please read on:-
A little more than three years ago, I posted a picture theft notice on my blog. This weekend, I discovered theft of content from my blog that's on a larger scale -- whole entire blog entries, text as well as pictures; and indiscriminate too in that it's not only hiking photo-essays but also movie reviews, Photo Hunt posts and at least one whimsical entry about Hello Kitty!
If, as I suspect, the theft is being done automatically, this post will appear on the offending blog as well as mine. I also am guessing that the offending blogger won't mind too much because all he or she is focused on is attracting visitors on to his or her blog which is not ad-free like this one. However, I really hope that whoever visits there will realize that his or her has been stealing other people's contents (including those at Hong Kong (& Macau) Stuff and Gwulo: Old Hong Kong along with CNN Go).
Of course, what I would really, really like is that the offending blogger will have enough of a conscience/sense of shame and/or guilt that will make him or her stop stealing from my blog. And ASAP.
And should you, the offender blogger, be reading this: yes, I know that you credit me on your blog -- and I am not entirely unappreciative of that. But I really do wish you would not be so wholesale in your copying from my blog. Above all, I really wish you would generate your own content that's worth viewing and reading. For only then will you be truly contributing to the online/blogging community as opposed to currently being the parasite that you are, and worse.
12 comments:
I'm sorry to have read that someone is copying your content wholesale :( Hopefully that fella will stop after a while.
How pathetic! Sorry to hear this YTSL. I have read about this happening to others too but not on this scale.
Yes, I'm also sorry to hear this, YTSL. I know how much effort and love you put into your blog.
This kind of wholesale grabbing of content from other blogs has happened to me and is so common that I've become jaded to it.
But I easily googled the offending blog and saw that they use Blogger, so I imagine it wouldn't be too difficult to have their blog deactivated.
Anyway, just remember that every opportunist like this you have a hundred more followers, subscribers, and random readers who appreciate what you are doing.
Don't let it get you down! :)
hi ytsl,
I'm sorry to read that this is happening to you again. What nerve!!
As duriandave also said please don't let it get you down as you do have a large loyal following who enjoy reading your posts.
Hi Stefan S --
One hopes that for sure. Let's see how things goes (and where certain actions I take will bear fruit).
Hi Diana --
I've had people steal content more than once already but yeah, this is far more wholesale than I've previously encountered.
Hi duriandave --
Thanks for your encouraging words and I wish it were so re my having as many followers, subscribers and random readers as you say. One thing that irritates me about the content theft is that it prevents me from knowing how many people my words reach since my words (and photos) are now on other blogs and such.
Hi sbk --
Thanks for your support. I'm disappointed to learn about the existence of that other blogger but not completely down.
People stink sometimes! Sorry to hear about the heist of your content, YTSL. Hopefully it comes to end soon. Does this happen often? I have had the same thing happen to me. Someone took pictures that I took, put them on their blog, and put their own watermark over them! When I addressed the situation with the blogger, he/she said that it wasn't my picture!? hahaha
People really do stink sometimes....
It looks to me like a very poor attempt at an aggregation site.
The stuff they have taken from me is just a few lines and a linkback to the original - I have no idea why they are taking a complete copy of your stuff - other than the fact that it's better quality :-)
apparently (I have it on hearsay from someone who writes for about.com) it's a common problem but one that google (owner of blogspot) does take quite seriously. YOu can lodge a complaint and you'll be attended to by a human.
Good luck...
Hi Kingwho? --
It seems that whenever my visitor numbers go past the 200/250 a day mark, thieves and such make their appearances.
Sorry to hear about your own theft experience -- and goodness re the nerve of the offending party! :S
Hi Phil --
I'm not sure either why they're copying my blog entries whole (but not others). Either way, I'm sure you'll agree it's upsetting and disappointing in terms of one's trust in humanity and the general online community... :S
Hi Gweipo --
I hope Blogger/Google will take my complaint - and that of others seriously. Let's see whether the offending blog is still up come next week. I so very hope not!
Outrageous behaviour YTSL, I really hope blogger can help you with this, they owe it to everyone to stamp this out! I was going to search for the offending blog but I don't want to give them the traffic!
There is nothing good to say about this kind of theft--it is simply a matter of our digital way of life but it is still outrageous when it happens.
I was reading a movie review a few years ago and thought it seemed familiar. It was--I had posted it on HKMDB several weeks before and it had been lifted, grammatical errors and all, and dropped into another blog.
The idea of grabbing a picture and then slapping one's own watermark on it, though, seems worse since the thief is claiming he is the original creator of the image.
Hi "A Hero Never Dies" --
I got a response from Blogger earlier today. Don't think it was strong enough though. Let's hope they'll come up with a better solution to this problem -- and before too long too.
Hi ewaffle --
At least one friend has e-mailed me to say "take it as a compliment" (presumably in the "imitation is a form of a flattery" spirit). However, I don't feel very complimented about the theft.
Sorry to hear that you've had a similar experience. I had that happen quite a few times when I was writing for brns.com -- including by at least one commercial site. It seems so unfair, doesn't it? :S
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