Plagiarism - Is there any way to stop it?
While surfing Indivine I found my work was copied, the only change was, she added 'sometimes' and changed 'words' to 'air'
Is there any way we can stop Plagiarism?
Now, her blog is restricted. Here's the link to her Indiblogger profile :
http://www.indiblogger.in/blogger/39551/
Ashitha Varghese has apologized by writing a mail to me. We should excuse her now.
Here's another discover:
Shri Jhawar http://www.indiblogger.in/blogger/39200/
Copied Poem: Here (He copied title of one of my poems and text of another to create this post.)
My original posts: Lost Abode and It hurts
Another Copied Poem Pieces
My Poem: Bits and Pieces
Another one: Meetu K http://www.indiblogger.in/blogger/40750/
Here's the link to her post: What I deserve, copied from my poem It hurts.
Another addition: Keerthana
She has copied two of my poems, 'Who am I, Dad?' and 'Barren Life'
See the copied work here and here
I checked and found that most of the posts on her blog are copied. So, please check for your work.
Reason: Blog Name Added
Plagiarizm is an incurable disease Saru. Long back, I had written a blog about it. I will share it with indibloggers soon. I don't think, there's any permanent and potent remedy for this vice which has spread like an epidemic in the field of writing and blogging.
I guess you just missed the date of the last post in this thread, and the date of the creation of this thread.
Good response from Indiblogger "We have deactivated this blog pending an investigation."
Yeah, they do respond pretty fast in these casea. Good work Subroto, IB Admins, BTW.
check google for anti copying html codes.
i am using anti text selection, anti picture select, anti cursor positioning and no double click html code so there is no provision to select, copy or double click anywhere on my blog... people say these restrictions might affect my readers but what the heck... its my content and i have every right to protect it even if it means losing readers.
i genuine ones would understand
But then, at times it becomes hard for genuine readers to use/follow your content. Given everything, you still can be copied, given that most of these "plugins" or workarounds work with the help of javascript, and once javascript is disabled, your blog has nothing sort of "protection" to save for anything you pointed out.
Thanks Ranjit, maybe I will. I mean the article is a straight lift and really should acknowledge sources. How does one deal with these people - shame them? Harrass them? Or take the 'what goes of my father' approach and ignore the posts.
So while surfing Indivine I came across this blog..it has a few posts on cricket, so obviously I had to read. Now here is the nub, the posts seemed as if they were written by journalists/reporters, you know the type that you read on papers/magazines. To quote people verbatim would mean that the blogger had been around interviewing people. So I let Detective Google do some sleuthing for me. One blog post was a straight lift from TOI (The Times of India) and a report from BBC Online with an occasional sprinkling of hindustani thrown in to make it look original. The other just used a report from CNN IBN and added a sentence here and there. These are top rated Indivine posts. So obviously there is no check in the algorithim for plagarism when you submit a post.
So obviously there is no check in the algorithim for plagarism when you submit a post.
Nowhere it is mentioned that IB checks for plagiarism in IndiVine posts. it is not easy and costs a lot of money if IB wants to implement it. 
If you believe that the blog should be removed from IB, contact IB: Contact / IndiSupport
There are some tools that can prevent copying from blog page .. I saw tht on some hindi blogs and tried to get one such widget for myself .. but cudnt ..
I think I'm safe. Since my poetry is so bad I called them Pomes not Poetry and my writing is alsmost unreadable....
It may be that these people don't realise that blogging is a creative art. They just think "hey it's on the web. I can just put it on my blog" They don't stop to think about ownership because cut and paste is so easy. The've heard that blogging can make you money and they want in. They don't realise that to make money you actually have to put up your own ideas and comments. Actually, sorry. I take that last bit back. A lot of bloggers have blogs so full of ads and followers that I have to search for the content which is pretty bad most of the time. But hey - look they have a million followers (I have less than 200), 100,000 visitors a day (My best day was 888), they make money off the ads they host ( I make 0).
So I can take my "quality" over "quantity" approach and smirk all the way to write the next post that no one will read and marvel at the fact that my IB Status is in the low 80s (finally). Don't ask me why.
It's however, a different story for tech bloggers engaged in blogging about new products and services, but there too, most brands, if not all, do create stuff for journos, outlining the specifics of the product or service.
Same is the case with usage of Data/Facts, most of which can't be created by individuals, and most of which is in the Public domain, so, there's no need to use that information to use in one of the articles. Even then, it's advisable to cite the original source to the data that you used, so as to enable the user/reader to be sure about the data.
Thanks Ranjith sir 
Ranjith sir, bless us with some more information. Do you think rewording an article amounts to plagiarism?
sir 
According to me, in some cases, it does. In other cases, it doesn't. If we are talking about creative writing, then it is definitely plagiarism. If it is some tech guide, I doubt if it falls under plagiarism, especially if both the articles are just a sequence of steps. No matter who writes the article, the steps involved in installing, say MS Office would be the same. But if every other detail like problems that might arise during installation, troubleshooting etc are also copied, then it is plagiarism.
As another example, consider two articles which show how to divide two polynomials. I think it would be wrong to say one of them copied from the other.
@Ranjith Sir, Anant Sir: IMHO, anything that you haven't created yourself, is plagiarism. Even if it means describing a way to installing Windows on a PC. Unless you have written the entire instructions and taken all the screenshots yourself, (in short, created the content yourself), it'll amount to plagiarism (if you've copied something without due permission), even if you're telling how to make maggi. 
* Correction: anything that you haven't created yourself (and used without the due permission of the original author), is plagiarism.
CK I myself am not too sure about this thing....
Consider another example. Suppose a movie producer has released rights of his songs to public. A types the lyrics and puts them on his blog. B also types the lyrics himself and puts them on his blog. C copy pastes from A. Did C plagiarise? Sometimes, I feel that he did. Sometimes, I feel he didn't 
Ranjith, maybe, this is where something being released in public domain comes in.
That being said, it's unethical, or better - a sin copying any work in public domain and claiming it to be yours.
In your example, both A and B wrote the lyrics on their blogs, but since the original writer/composer of the work was someone else, it'd amount to plagiarism if they claim it to be their own work, even if it were a derivative of the original work, they'd still need to acknowledge the original work!
DISCLAIMER: All the points posted here by me are purely my OPINIONS, and I, in any capacity, am not meaning or asserting that whatever I am posting is what is truth.
Well, for me, rewording a tech article does not surmount to plagiarism specially news items. If it were, then we would just have one tech news website around the entire Internet. By the way, since I post news items on my blog, I do follow a couple of websites regularly and at times have seen them simply copy paste it from their sources like PTI, Reuters or AFP though giving a credit to them. I don't know why I tend to equate copy-pasting (or typing alike) to plagiarism in whatever form it is, even if the source is cited. If it weren't for plagiarism, they could cite the weblink to these news items rather than posting the whole article and appending it with "Courtesy: XYZ" or "With inputs from: ABC". The ad money they earn for locking in a reader to their post or at least a fraction of it should actually go to PTI, Reuters, AFP or sundry.
Anant, afterall, the news items are not created by these websites, so, they have no other option, but to copy from others who do directly get the inpuuts from brands and such. Plus, if you are doing it with permission, it shouldn't be an issue at all.
@CyberKID Though I am not sure if any individual or organization would give someone else permission to airlift their articles, be it news items, yet if it does happen so, they stand acquitted from my side. But what I really meant is that they paste many news items word-by-word rather than even rewording it. It hardly takes 10 to 15 minutes to reword a news item and more or less its a part of their daily job. Probably, it has become a part of their tradition too and no one stands questioning it so they don't pay heed.
Could someone here please explain me that how to check that someone is stealing our original content. Is there any website or tool available. I hurts when someone copies your content without any prior notice.
-Nitin
I would suggest that you don't bother too much about others copying your content. You will see that most of the ones that copy content are feed aggregators which you cannot stop. The remaining ones - it is impossible to keep track of every website (for free) and see if they are copying your content.
If you don't mind paying for such a service, check out http://www.copyscape.com/. They monitor your site's content and mail you whenever someone copies your content but it is not free. I don't know any similar free tools.
Hi Nitin, I think Ranjith has answered you well. And always remember - Immitation is a form of flattery.
Just to add up to the few lines Ranjith added, you can opt to select a few lines of one of your blog posts, and try searching it with google. A lot of times, Google comes up with results in case one of your posts has been plagiarized. This is one sureshot way, as, using this beyond copyscape failing, I've reported a few plagiarist Indibloggers.
I do not understand how people copy? I mean, I did see students cheating and COPYING answers from each other back in school, but when you're blogging. isn't the onus to connect with the unknown.. how do someone connect with stuffs that aren't their own? I have tried endless times to walk in the minds of the plagiarist and every time it is the dead end.. what do they get from copying? It isn't like every time you blog a post, you win 1000 bucks. So, what's the whole point behind plagiarizing??. if someone likes a post that great to have it on their blog.. what's the harm in asking for permission and sharing it.. If i like a post so much that i want it on my own "virtual home", I love the writer who paints such a beauty and want to make sure to get along.. why upset him/her by robbing.. somethign about this baffles me.. I don't have any copied posts.., I never searched for it, but i don't think i have them.. the only great thing I feel about beign copied is that you know you're inspiring.. that they choose to copy rather than credit is a fallacy on their part and a twisted mind gone insane.. then again, I may be wrong as I told I can't get in their head and know how they work.. WEIRD
Please give the link to the story and to your poem, we will also see if there has been plagiarism. Under certain cases, posting links is allowed. Go on give us the links if you are that sure. Let's see it too.
You send a mail directly to IP or Renie giving him evidence and based on the evidence, they will ban the blogger who has plagarised
You should contact IB admins, I assume. It really sucks sometimes. I recently saw one of my poems in the "About me" section of some random guy's profile :\
I have been facing this issues with my website very much but Now it has reduces to very less extent. Technically there is no way to stop it completely, the people copying will continue, with and with and without reference to actual author, untill and unless been threatened legally. (to be blunt - my apology)
However some precautions can be taken like adding a line at the end of ur poems and creations (If you have not) like " Strictly Copyrighted" "copying without reference to actual author is Prohibited".
Plus you can protect your stuffs. I use DMCA certificates for all the 8 websites which takes care of things pretty seriously, Provided you can add some legal TOS and Privacy Policy in addition to that.
After adding these my plagiarism issue reduced to 85% as DMCA takes it pretty Seriously.
For example http://www.dmca.com/Protection/Status.aspx?ID=fa43332f-4f3b-4058-9cb3-1f70f435b00b
I hope it helped.
Wow I came across a post via Indiblogger that I had read before. Turned out to be a copy. John Birmingham will be flattered. http://www.smh.com.au/digital-life/digital-life-news/stop-stalking-me-facebook-its-over-and-you-can-keep-my-3448-friends-20130706-2pivh.html
I don't feel like hounding the blogger but a little acknowledgement of 'artistic interpretation' always help.
Hi Subroto, You can name people here as we have zero tolerance for plagiarism.
Hi Saru,
Nope,I don't have an account on it.I randomly checked copyscape and found that my write-up was present there.It doesn't look exactly like plagiarism but would like to know what it is.
Any idea about this site called brokencontrollers.com ? A/c to copyscape,it has content from my blog.Not too sure why.
Hi Srishti, It looks like one of those sites which pulls feed from your blog. Have you created an account on it?
Having read The Sorcerer 's fb ripped case , I thought that how insane people are when they don't understand the importance of virtual presence and its after effects.
Personally, I feel there are two types of plagarist.One is ignorant - who just needs a push so that he/may understand and learn (but not public insult at an early stage and without a warning ) and the latter is someone who knows what he/she is doing and still does it after couple of warnings. This is the person who exactly needs a public display of his wrong doings as The Sorcerer has shared here. Call them douchebag!
A Better , Effective and Safe approach would be contacting the hosting domains : Google for blogger, Wordpress for Wordpress blogs and others their respective hosting domains ( assured result by personal experience )
You're right. I've seen all kinds now. Reporting it to hosting domain is the last resort.
A lot of people understand, but there's an advantage that they think they have by being dumb.
Hi Samar,
The best way to protect your picturs is watermarking. Try it, even if someone copies, your name/blog name will still be there.
Anjan (owner of anjan5.blogspot.in) in his latest post "Confession"
Summed up my whole write up without giving me any credit or anything.
What should i do about it ?
And Is there any kind of help that i can expect from indiblogger or fellow bloggers ?
The post is "Confession" at anjan5.blogspot.in
and the blog is "Ankious Me"
Your case seems to be of idea theft, which is hard to prove. You should write to him and ask for the clarification. If not resolved, write to Indiblogger and report to Google.
Whats the procedure to report to Google ?
I haven't heard from him
Follow the link given by Sampath Bhoompally on the previous page of this thread.
It's almost a month....but i think i have proved Aryaansh about my content to be genuine...and i have even told him not to blame by copying himsel...and he didn't reply since then.
Wish i could see these messages earlier... you got to be kidding me....copying my content and then defaming me @Aryaansh Sood???
I didn't do it for fun !! Anjan roy
I think we settled that issue !! On personal front !!
Are you up for something else ??
Yes i believe his words , coz he is being writting simmilar stuffs before , and i respect his kind of wrting !!
So rest I think the blame game is over !! Rest its all upto the other person
@Aryaansh Sood: I Don't want to enter into any controversies either...i read your replies on this page yesterday...and that's the reason why i was agitated...
Okay !!
Sign in to reply to this thread
