Story goes like this: Author Monica Gaudio wrote a piece on the historical development of apple pie for a specific website, which mentioned that content was copyrighted.
Gaudio was then informed by a friend that Cooks Source Magazine had printed her article without a) permission, b) notification, or c)
Gaudio contacted Cooks Source to ask what the fuck, and was fobbed off with what is probably the most :smug: reply ever (excerpted):
"Yes Monica, I have been doing this for 3 decades, having been an editor at The Voice, Housitonic Home and Connecticut Woman Magazine. I do know about copyright laws. It was "my bad" indeed, and, as the magazine is put together in long sessions, tired eyes and minds somethings forget to do these things.
But honestly Monica, the web is considered "public domain" and you should be happy we just didn't "lift" your whole article and put someone else's name on it! It happens a lot, clearly more than you are aware of, especially on college campuses, and the workplace. If you took offence and are unhappy, I am sorry, but you as a professional should know that the article we used written by you was in very bad need of editing, and is much better now than was originally. Now it will work well for your portfolio. For that reason, I have a bit of a difficult time with your requests for monetary gain, albeit for such a fine (and very wealthy!) institution. We put some time into rewrites, you should compensate me! I never charge young writers for advice or rewriting poorly written pieces, and have many who write for me... ALWAYS for free!"
This rapidly went viral from Gaudio's LJ post to Facebook and Twitter, and over the course of Thursday more and more evidence that Cooks Source and editor Judith Griggs basically sourced all their content from other people's intellectual property.
Links:
Gaudio's LJ entry
Another LJ entry concerning the issue, which spread to other platforms
a pretty comprehensive compendium of data on this clusterfuck
Cooks Source on Facebook, being overrun by commenters
I think this is a pretty good example of the astonishing power of social media via the internet to fuck someone's shit up. Like a lot of the /b/ vs. Terrible People instances--that dreadful woman who posted amusing photoshops of a dying child, for example--it really illustrates how dangerous it is to show your true colors on the internet.
Discuss.
(second edit: Apparently Ms. Judith Griggs is not just breathtakingly ignorant and incompetent as an editor, she also couldn't handle being a town selectman. I can't so far find incontrovertible proof that this is the same Judith Griggs but it jolly well looks like her.)
This is some insane bullshit. The web is NOT public domain. That's why most websites have a copyright disclaimer at the bottom, not that they're necessary. When someone writes something, he/she automatically has the copyright to it. The disclaimer is merely a reminder. And furthermore, just look at the state of "new media," video and audio content! Unless it says "public domain," it's NOT public domain. This woman is incompetent.
ReplyDeleteHoly frickin' crap, this is beyond incompetent. She suggested the author she plagiarized PAY her for doing her the "service" of lifting and re-editing her piece? What in the world? At least we have a solid example of why copyrights are important, just to help defend against the inexcusable idiots of the world...
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