Sorry to anyone who subscribes to this blog via a Feed. I’ve disabled the RSS feed function for now (at least I tried to) because some nasty porn blog (and I do mean nasty — I’ve no objection to porn in general but I draw the line at certain things) has been reposting ALL my content on their blogs without my permission. Despite the big old “COPYRIGHT” notice at the end of each post, the site has been reposting my content in several if not all of it’s “blogs” featuring collected content from porn sites all over.
I’m fairly disgusted. So, until I can get this fixed, I guess I won’t have a nifty, easy feed.
Oh, and speaking of sites using content without permission, I’ve also found out that someone’s using a review I posted on Amazon.com to promote her story. Problem? Well, there wouldn’t be one if I’d actually reviewed HER story. Instead she’s using the words she’s taken from the review, but creative cutting has made it seem like my review and recommendation (which applied to the entire book, not just her part of it) is directly related to her content in the collection. Normally I wouldn’t care — the book, overall is fantastic — but a little common courtesy goes a long way, don’t you think? I mean, I’m sure her story is just fine and dandy but making it seem like I whole-heartedly recommend it when that’s NOT what my review said irritates me. Let ME decide what to recommend, please and thank you very much.
1. Don’t edit my words to give them a slanted meaning that benefits you when the original content would have painted you in a fine light without you deciding to change what I actually said to give my words meaning they didn’t have originally.
2. How about a link back?
So, that’s my Sunday and I’m going to plant flowers now.
M
August 3rd, 2008 at 4:28 pm · Link
I know how you feel. I just haven’t been able to bring myself to stop syndicating yet, because I figure most people read it on a feed.
August 3rd, 2008 at 4:28 pm · Link
Oh, but you might want to check out CopySpace.
August 3rd, 2008 at 4:45 pm · Link
A note to their ISP might help.
August 3rd, 2008 at 6:08 pm · Link
Meh – that’s annoying.
August 3rd, 2008 at 9:54 pm · Link
i have written to the ISP. We’ll see what happens. It’s very annoying.
M
August 3rd, 2008 at 11:09 pm · Link
Ugh.
I know Amazon and ebay have had recent problems regarding plagiarism of reviews. It looks like your case is even more extreme–plagiarism and fraud! :shake:
I hope you get both of these messes straightened out.
August 3rd, 2008 at 11:20 pm · Link
@Christine: Hey, Christine. It’s not really plaigerism — I was credited as the author of the review. And by putting it up on Amazon I guess it’s out there for public consumption and I don’t *mind* people using my reviews on their personal pages. I used reviews and parts of reviews on my website, though I usually try to include a link back and also to thank the person for the review.
HOWEVER — I NEVER NEVER NEVER take a review that doesn’t even mention my book and cut and paste it to somehow represent it as referring to my work. I never cut out the pertinent part of a review in order to make it appear as though the review were referring directly to my story, nor do I ever edit a review in order to make it appear the author of the review was recommending MY book or story if that wasn’t the case.
Basically, I don’t even know this person and would have been fine with her using my review if it had been used in its original format — praising the entire collection (which does include her story) but the way she cut the review it appears as though I reviewed her story, in particular, and that I heartily recommend it, rather than the book as a whole. Like I said, I don’t even know her, and frankly, this wouldn’t normally bust my buttons but I’m a bit sensitive to being taken out of context at the moment and not only that but it makes it look as though I’m recommending her work when in fact, I am not. At least not as specifically as that review makes it seem. And that does burn my muffin, since as I said already — I don’t even know her. Never, to my knowledge or recollection, ever even spoke to her online or in person. It just seems shirty to me at the least…and deliberately vague or even a tad dishonest at the most.
M
August 4th, 2008 at 6:44 pm · Link
Sorry to hear about the porn and the review. There’s really no excuse about either one. The review thing is more like misrepresentation than anything. Don’t blame you for feeling the way you do because we all know you’ve been gracious in extending the courtesy when it comes to other people’s reviews.
August 4th, 2008 at 8:36 pm · Link
@Carol: I try to be courteous, Carol. I’m not perfect by any means, but I try.
August 6th, 2008 at 1:45 pm · Link
Ahh. I understand the situation now. I don’t blame you for feeling the least bit peeved. Even if it isn’t plagiarism, it is rather fraudulent. Did the writer remove it?
August 6th, 2008 at 1:54 pm · Link
@Christine: Meh, I don’t know. Somehow I doubt someone who’d do such a thing would see the need.
M