SC members copying/stealing posts from other sites - discussion of proper etiquette

[alajen]

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

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 part of a larger community for Canadian content freebies, contests, samples etc. By sharing tips and info, all sites benefit by getting more free stuff overall.

I have noticed, though that some of the SC posts are copied directly from other sites. Copied EXACTLY, with no mention of the original poster.

So on this thread, I thought I would ask:
What are the ethical issues about this practice?
How/can a post be copied and it is still ethical?
What is proper etiquette to handle this?
What happens if a contributing SC member is found to be copying posts without crediting the orignal author?

[alajen]

I very rarely post contests or freebies since SC is my main freebie site - not being a suck-up, just the truth. By the time I get to SC, the contest is already posted.

Sometimes though, I see duplicate posts by two different people where the wording is exactly the same. So, obviously copied, possibly from another site. All posts have to start somewhere, so is there a CORRECT way to copy?

Some posters put the word "borrowed" to indicate the post and wording originated at another site.

How do others feel about seeing posts on SC they KNOW were copied from another site? Talk to the person who copied the post? Notify the original post? Ignore it?

[Pinklicious]

I agree with you on the stealing stuff. I know if I went onto another board and saw a freebie that I had posted earlier copied word for word, I would get pretty mad, espicially if I had found it by myself and not from another site.
I guess the proper thing would be to credit the proper site/forum you found it from or at least make a note to let others know you hadn't found it on your own. (Like a *borrowed* sign at the end like we used to do but don't do anymore =S)
But even if you do credit the original source, there's nothing to stop other forums to continue taking our posts, passing it off as theirs and maybe removing the credit or borrowed sign.
I'm not sure, maybe someone else can give a second opinion.

[blistex]

yah, i agree, the proper thing to do when we take from other sites is put "borrowed" beforehand.

[bcteagirl]

Bump! Please remember common etiquette... best to post borrowed with any borrowed posts.

[harkatsmom]

To Cover my butt, If I don't find the contest/freebie on my own, and I find it on another site, (even though I always reword it), I write borrowed.

[bcteagirl]

That is what I do as well.. It is the proper thing to do.

I realize that not everyone that borrows from SC shows the same courtesy, but lets show them what niceness/integrity SC is made of

And if you would have been stating 'borrowed' before but just didn't know what was proper, no need to feel badly, everyone here is learning as they go

[SavingKarina]

I agree that people should put *borrowed* and not just post as if it was their work. Not everyone will read this thread though. Is there a way to make sure everyone reads it? Make it a sticky? Have someone write to people that don't know how they should "cite their source"?