Why Is Plagiarism So Rampant In Realty Blogs?

by Broderick Perkins
© 2007 DeadlineNews.Com

Deadline Newsroom – "Why Is Plagiarism So Rampant In Realty Blogs?" by realty blog award-winning real estate agent Mary Pope-Handy, made my day, at her expense, unfortunately.

On her blog, Pope-Handy, ABR, CRS, ePRO, SRES, of Intero Real Estate Services in
Los Gatos, CA, discusses the pandemic of copyright violations that exists in the real estate community, an issue that is also the very bane of my existence.

As a real estate writer, I'm frequently the victim of pilfering. I spend hours a week policing the matter, watching alerts and scouring the Web for thieves who post my work as their own or otherwise use my work without permission, often with some misguided, grandiose notion that they are doing me a favor with the "extra publicity."

That happens even thought most blog and Web site hosting comes with terms of use that include adhering to federal copyright law.

Pope-Handy, also co-author of "Get The Best Deal When Selling Your Home In Silicon Valley," (Gabriel Publications, $18.95) writes more than some journalists I know and, unfortunately, as a result, is also a frequent victim of copyright violations. Her post mentions that she likewise must spend time away from her profession policing the habits of professionals who are supposed to follow a strict code of ethics.

In her blog post, Pope-Handy refers to my treatise on the matter, "Lifting Editorial Content For Your Blog Or Web Site Is A Federal Crime," which is an entire Web page I've devoted to the issue.

Even that story has been stolen!

I'm documenting my experience as a serial victim of copyright infringement with each "Cease and Desist" order I send to violators, so that I may build a strong case and one day make a strong legal example of someone who steals my work with impunity.

As someone who gets up early and stays up late to work to meet daily deadlines to make a living, reporting, researching, writing and editing, in high-cost-of-living Silicon Valley, I believe, if someone thinks they can cash in on my hard work at no cost, and then claim ignorance, fail to read and adhere to contractual terms of use or have some other self-serving reason for robbery, then I'm within my rights to cash in on their ignorance and poor excuses.

In a court of law in this country, ignorance or other "reasons" for breaking laws are not defensible positions.

If warnings don't suffice, let content crooks beware that their ignorance could very well become the bane of their existence.

I'm pretty much fed up with what amounts to white collar crime that continues to make me a victim.

© 2007 DeadlineNews.Com

Broderick Perkins, an award-winning consumer journalist of 30 years, is publisher and executive editor of San Jose, CA-based DeadlineNews.Com, a real estate news and consulting service, and the new Deadline Newsroom, DeadlineNews.Com's new backshop. In both cases, it's where all the news really hits home.

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DeadlineNews.Com's Editorial Content Is Intellectual Property • Unauthorized Use Is A Federal Crime