So, it finally happened...

1. 94

   Winterfateposted 13 years ago

   Someone copied one of my videogame reviews (in part) onto their site. Honestly, I'm a bit ambivalent as:
   
   - It's one of my dud hubs that gets like 1-2 views a day.
   - There is a back-link to this site.
   - He/She barely triggered the copied flag I'd think (copied around half of the review, and the button that says "read more" leads to my review.
   
   But then again,
   
   - I never gave the person permission to post that review there.
   - If I let that slide, will it be a chain reaction resulting in my hubs getting spun into the Stone Age and posted all over the web?
   
   So, what should I do?

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   1. 0

      kimberlyslyricsposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      lets rally together all leaving comments ir; tomorrow until the thief takes it off.  I'm serious let his followers see he's a thief-expose him wherever we can.  Too often we just say ' I can't be bothered'  Let's send a message this particular community stands behind each other, open a sign in thread tomorrow and we touch base there when a message is left.
      
      We must be careful not to threat or be threatening but 'we are going to keep visiting you til you unpublished the review you stole from one of our writers then specifically refer to the review
      
      we need to back each other up,  I bet you he's folded within 2 hours ad others get the message HubPages kicks ass and fools are disposable
      
      I'm all the way there if your game!
      
      cheers
      
      kimberly
      
      
      

      replyreport
2. 60

   Sparhawkeposted 13 years ago

   While it is nice to be asked we really have to be realistic here in saying that anything that gets published on the web is going to be copied or borrowed by someone else...at least this person did the honorable thing and gave you a free backlink so instead of having a hissy fit like I have seen some do and demand that it be removed how about offering them a part review again so long as you get another backlink back?
   
   Forums and blogs are always looking for articles, there is not much you can really do except demand it is removed and if you strike up a relationship with this person there is no end to where it could lead in the future.
   
   There is not much you can do to stop a chain reaction and one article is not going to set it off, to be honest I would be happy that someone thought what I wrote was of value lol
   
   The main thing here you have to consider is: Does the existence of this article elsewhere have a negative or positive impact on your viewing figures? At the end of the day, that is about the only thing that matters...whether the readers are happy.
   
   When I am stuck for something to write on my forum I will always write a small excerpt with a link to the full article, to expect that an email goes back and forth endlessly would just make it unmanageable and the only time this is practical is when you are working together for mutual benefit.
   
   If they do not include a backlink to your original article but instead claim authorship then that is the time to pull out the knives and start staring like Chef Ramsay at a piece of burnt toast.
   
   
   

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   1. 38

      Dale Nelsonposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I got to agree with Sparhawke there.
      
      It is difficult to Police your articles on the www with so many potential pages for excerpts.
      
      The fact that thre is a backlink is what I would be joyed about. It means his traffic becomes your traffic which gets converted on your pages, not his. Small victory therein.

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3. 94

   Winterfateposted 13 years ago

   @kimberlyslyrics: Thanks for the support, but he did credit me as the source, so he's not a thief.
   
   (Well, not in the usual connotation anyways).
   
   I will keep that in mind if more people want to do so though. At the moment, I have to agree with the sentiment that I am getting a backlink out of it and it's one of my poorer hubs.
   
   Thanks for the feedback so far everyone!

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4. 70

   Sunny Robinsonposted 13 years ago

   I have used other people's information, photos, and sources sprinkled throughout my content as long as I use my own words for the most part.  I always link back to them.  If I find the website very useful and has helped me for the most part, or interests me and is relevant to what I'm writing about, I will use it and always credit the real source.
   
   So, like Sparhawk says, people are always looking for articles, information, etc.  It's really simple.  I feel if I get copied, as long as I get linked back to, it's actually flattering.  (Never happened, though).
   
   However, if it got copied and cited as THEIR own content, then it's war.

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5. 60

   onepiecezoneposted 13 years ago

   You could use that to your advantage. I would ask they provide a link back to your hub as to give credibility and score to your hub page if they want to use your article. Search engines will always see your page as the original source anyway.

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