Copyright and plagiarism

Copyright and Plagiarism Blogging is not only an opportunity but also a responsibility. As bloggers, we are expected to be responsible and mindful of all the proper protocols of the blogs we publish online. We are expected to avoid plagiarism at all times. Plagiarism is the act of stealing and passing off the ideas, words, or other intellectual property produced by another as one’s own (Montecino, 1996, par. 3). This happens when a person publish a material pretending to own the idea which truly belongs to another. To address this type of issue, a copyright law is passed to protect the published or unpublished works. Copyright is a legal term describing rights given to creators for their literary and artistic works (Byer, n. d., par. 3). It is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States. As we grow older, technology grows faster. Internet technology is now very advanced and is being used by almost everyone in this world. From children to grandparents, everybody is hooked with what internet can offer. We read, paint, post, communicate and write in the internet. Thus, as Montecino (1999, p. 1) quoted in his article the internet has been characterized as the largest threat to copyright since its inception. According to Ovittore (2005, par. 1), we bloggers are responsible for what we write. We are not less than any news writer that we knew. Thus we must be responsible to avoid any form or act of libel or slander which is prohibited by laws. His article encourages bloggers like us to go through the same copy editing like publishers and be responsible to our actions. Monitoring copyright violation in the internet is impossible. Nobody can monitor every case thus copyright issues cannot be addressed (Marky, 2009, par. 5). There are things that a blogger should remember before writing or publishing a post. These are just few of the things we must remember, but we must not be limited to what are written here. First, ignorance of the law excuses from no one from compliance thus a blogger carries the full responsibility for everything published in the blog. Second, be aware of the responsibility by checking the facts and implications of work, controlling the comments and credits, and avoiding “ blackhat” methods. Third, make it easy for the viewers to distinguish between advertising and editorial content. Forth, always ask the author’s permission when translating his or her article. Fifth, do not present stolen content to avoid being liable for contributory violation of criminal act. Lastly, to avoid copyright infringement, always ask the author’s permission before publishing (Friedman, 2007, par. 1). Plagiarism is not only prohibited in the cyberspace but also in academics. plagiarism is defined as ” the deliberate or reckless representation of another’s words, thoughts, or ideas as one’s own without attribution in connection with submission of academic work, whether graded or otherwise” (instrument. unc. edu, Instrument of Judicial Governance, par. 9). It is not tolerated in the academic field because knowledge is important and there lies the integrity of education. People’s ideas are therefore very important. They are earned through studying, reading, performing, experimenting and gathering perspectives and knowledge. Thus they must be respected and given importance. It is important to distinguish whether the idea is our own or another person’s. Like the problems in internet copyright, plagiarising is stealing and must be addressed. We should therefore be responsible too and avoid plagiarizing. Paraphrasing and proper citation are two of the best ways to avoid plagiarizing. Our freedom to write must not be taken for granted. We are the only ones who can take care and help in solving problems about the copyright and plagiarism in the internet. Even if we are far from solving the issues on copyright and plagiarism, we can still contribute to preserving a healthy internet blogging. Thus, we must be responsible enough to know the proper ethics as bloggers because we are the only ones who can protect ourselves. References: Byer, Janice. Website Content Theft, (n. d.). Web. 16 July 2011 Friedman, Vitaly. You should… Bloggers’ Right and Duties from Copyright Explained: I May Copy It, Right?, (7 July 2007). Web. 16 July 2011 Marky B. Blogger Responsibility, Blogging Code of Ethics, (24 March 2009). Web. 16 July 2011 Montecino, Virginia. Copyright and the Internet, (2006). Web. 16 July 2011-07-17 Montecino, Virginia. The Internet and Copyright from Copyright and the Internet, (2006). Web. 16 July 2011-07-17 Ovittore, Jay. You Are What You Post- Blogging Responsibility, (29 September 2005). Web. 16 July 2011 “ The Instrument of Judicial Governance.” instrument. unc. edu. The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. 20 November 2009. Web. 16 July 2011