People from other sites stealing posts from SC-discussion and prevention

[alajen]

I started two similar threads
1) others stealing from SC
2) SC stealing from others.

I noticed some interesting issues brought up by the recent test of the automated section, which brought freebies and deals from other sites - but crediting the original site posting the info.

SC is a great place for Canadian content freebies, contests, samples etc. - due to the hard work of its members.

So good, in fact, that entire posts are taken and put on other sites. They are copied word-for-word, with no credit given to the original author from SC.

So on this thread, I thought I would ask: how can we prevent this from happening, or at least make things more difficult for lurkers?

[kdoucette]

I think that "post stealing" occurs in both directions. It's definitely poor etiquette to post word for word. I think at least acknowledging "borrowed" and checking out the link oneself is important.

[bargainbaby]

Realistically there's no "proper etiquette" for freebie hunting. Companies hate us and if it was up to them, they would ban all freebie sites as we do take alot of their sampling products with no intentions of ever purchasing from them. Sure, some of us may like a product or two so much that we do actually go out and spend money on it, but we all know that the large majority of us just love the free stuff by mail, and i know out of all the zillion freebie sites out there, it goes in a big circle with taking posts of other sites. I post alot of stuff and couldn't care less if other sites take them, we are ALL freebie hunters, in it for the same thing, and i want everyone to get the freebies they want.

[alajen]

I agree that freebie sharing makes the world go round. I think companies realize that a certain percentage of their marketing budget goes to people who just want free stuff and nothing else.

What I am more interested in is whether it is right that someone takes an SC post and puts it somewhere else to claim as his/her own.

For example, I recently spent 15-20 minutes going through the SDM flyer and putting together extra ways to save money at the recent 20x promo:
http://www.forum.smartcanucks.ca/sho...58&postcount=1

I would be upset if that post were copied and pasted at another site - unless some acknowledgement was made for the person who put in the effort to write up the original post.

Or say, someone goes through the effort of finding a UPC or many UPCs for a contest and posts it, only to have the info stolen and posted somewhere else without so much as a thank you. Realistically, a lurker can "Google" the info and just copy it anyways. But it is a different story if someone "steals" the credit from someone else.
I see it as kind of like electronic plaigiarism.

* these questions aren't directed AT you, BB, just general musings.

[alajen]

Oh, regarding the UPC thing, I tried something different with the TopDogs contest. I took the UPC code and put it in an attachment - which makes it visible only to SC members.

Doesn't stop copying, buts adds an extra step to get the info. Plus, good protection from lurkers.

[bcteagirl]

Good plan Alajen! And I agree with all your points!

[Prue]

I agree, I think if its a list or something like alajen's SDM thing that someone obviously spent time doing, then credit should be given to the person. And that should be the case whether it is something taken from here or something an SC member brings here from elsewhere.

Personally I put *borrowed on all my freebies from other sites, as I know a lot of members here do. I know it does not give a lot of credit to the original poster, but I feel it somewhat acknowledges that I am not trying to take credit for a freebie someone else found originally.

I also try to only borrow the url for the freebie and not the entire thread. Its not difficult to write a description of what the freebie is and I don't think its necessary to copy another site's thread verbatim. Often times what I do is get the info directly from the link and post that.

[bcteagirl]

This is true Prue, it only takes a small amount of effort, but it can mean so much to someone else.