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SOMEBODY TELL ME WHY???

By
Real Estate Agent with Samson Properties VA Lic # 0225101380

I have been a member of Active Rain for about a week now and I love it.  I have only one question.  Why do people copy and paste articles and play them off as their own?  Are they trying to look smarter than they really are or can they not come up with their own original ideas?  I think many of us learned this in grade school - if you copy something and call it your own it called PLAGIARISM.  Some of us didn't learn this in grade school. 

STOP THE PLAGIARISM

Comments (22)

Rebecca Savitski
BSR Real Estate Group - Cary, NC
NC Real Estate Listings
I don't read the unoriginal stuff.
Nov 02, 2007 11:50 AM
Eric Kodner
Madeline Island Realty - La Pointe, WI
CRS, Madeline Island Realty, LaPointe, WI 54850 -
They say "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery" but in this case NOT.  It's laziness that drives some people to copy others' work.  I agree with Lenn that the lack of a penalty in most cases is one reason why it continues to happen.
Nov 02, 2007 12:02 PM
Tracy Santrock
Santrock Realty Group Inc. , - Cary, NC
Raleigh - Cary Broker
There not supposed to be doing that stuff!! It ruins the network's credibility.
Nov 02, 2007 12:03 PM
Leslie Bloss, Bellevue Real Estate Professional
Bellevue, WA
Hi Vincent--I think we should call them on it--Name names -- maybe it will shame them into stopping it.  They would be kicked out of college for that!
Nov 02, 2007 12:05 PM
Blank Blank
Maxwell, CA
Call them out on their blog then flag them
Nov 02, 2007 12:29 PM
Cris Burlew
Beach & Luxury Realty, Inc. - Saint Pete Beach, FL
Broker ~ St Pete Beach FL Real Estate

I agree with you. It is just pure laziness on their part and since there is no penalty as Lenn says, they continue to do it.

Just post original content and whatever comes to mind. You will do just fine!

Nov 02, 2007 03:58 PM
Kris Wales
Keller Williams Realty - Lakeside Market Center - Macomb, MI
Real Estate Blog & Homes for Sale search site, Macomb County MI

Why?  Laziness and greed.  The consumer however is savvy - I'm sure they will skim right past the people that aren't honest.

BTW, welcome to ActiveRain :-)

Nov 02, 2007 09:23 PM
Jay McGillicuddy
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Verani Realty - Exeter, NH
Real Estate Broker
Welcome to AR and you will learn a lot here. Not only about real estate but also there is a lot of technology going one here too. Enjoy.
Nov 03, 2007 05:14 AM
Monika McGillicuddy
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Verani Realty - Hampstead, NH
Southern NH & the Seacoast Area
Welcome...Sometimes I think new blogger don't really understand about plagiarism and copyright...not making an excuse because there is none especially if they've been around. They simply should know better.
Nov 03, 2007 06:59 AM
Karen Kruschka
RE/MAX Executives - Woodbridge, VA
- "My Experience Isn't Expensive - It's PRICELESS"
Welcome,  I don't understand how you are able to determine that someone is copying and pasting unless you are personally familiar with the piece of material.  In either case, those are the same agents that probably take shortcuts in transactions, Karen
Nov 03, 2007 10:12 AM
Dale Campbell
Virginia Real Estate - Mechanicsville, VA
Welcome to AR!  The copying is just a cheap way for them to try to get a better ranking on their site or look smarter without the work.  I doesn't work!
Nov 04, 2007 05:38 AM
Larry Estabrooks
Independent Real Estate Agent - Moncton, NB
100% representation means NEVER DUAL AGENCY !

As in pro sports, penalties don't curb behavior that's against the rules.

Why not a periodic award for the most prolific plagiariser? In "Through the Looking Glass" Tweedledum and Tweeldledee were identical copies. The ActiveRain community could have a "Tweedle" award.

Nov 04, 2007 05:57 AM
South Austin Real Estate Blog
Sky Realty South Austin - Austin, TX
I vote for Larry's TWEEDLE award, as in TWEEDLEDUM  .    It shows a lack of personal integrity.. and do you want to deal with that person?  Welcome to the better part of AR!! post and enjoy.
Nov 04, 2007 10:45 AM
Joanna Schlansky
Showcase of Homes, Realtors - Burlington, MA

You should definitely point this out!  Flag it!

If they steal pictures too...you can do what Martin did in his blog...

Thanks for visiting this site, I stole this content

Nov 04, 2007 10:56 AM
Todd Clark - Retired
eXp Realty LLC - Tigard, OR
Principle Broker Oregon

Wait until they start doing it to your blogs! I've actually had the problem of people copying my blogs and trying to pass them off as their own.

Nov 06, 2007 04:18 PM
Margaret Rodgers
Keller Williams Realty - Karns, TN
Realtor, AHWD
Welcome to AR
Nov 07, 2007 04:12 AM
Kevin McGrath
Long & Foster Real Estate Companies- Fredericksburg/Spotsylvania - Fredericksburg, VA
Long & Foster Real Estate Companies
I problem I think - and moreso after you have been on a while - how will we come up with new blog ideas in a year? In two years?
Dec 23, 2007 12:50 AM
Andrew Monaghan
The Monaghan Group - Glendale, AZ
CRS, GRI, EPro Associate Broker

Im new here, by cutting and pasting is it that they are pulling form a article and not giving credit to make a point or just saying i have this great idea and............?

Dec 25, 2007 12:09 PM
Thavisak Lucky Syphanthong
Lucky Star Realty - Eureka, CA
Helping to make your dreams of home ownership come
I was not aware that people were doing this, but way to call them out.
Dec 25, 2007 02:52 PM
Anonymous
Brandon

I hear your frustration Vincent. Nowhere is this more rampant than with SEO companies originating in India. If you want a clear example of this, check out this blog post that outlines plagiarism ... and the Z57 website company ... and a "writer" from India.

http://www.armingyourfarming.com/realestatemarketing/2008/07/z57-writer-plagiarizes-my-website.html

Sure, it happens a lot from webmasters outside India. But never before have I seen so many bad apples in one tree. I frequently come across work of mine that has been plagiarized and republished (like the above link), and 90% of the time I trace it back to some SEO or Internet marketing company in India. Apparently, this is normal protocol for them.

Whenever possible, I try to publicize the offending act, as I've done in the blog post above. I feel that the only way to limit this kind of behavior is to go after the end customer (the person who has paid the writer).

-Brandon

Jul 04, 2008 02:50 AM
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