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Syndicated content... crossing the line?

by Andrew Prince
16 replies
How is this not stealing / copyright?

I know this is syndicated content, and NOT dupicate, but how is this website allowed to take content / repost from all of these other sites? Almost all of the articles are reposted verbatim from a different source.

Granted, they do post the article source link, and authors name... but why don't they run into trouble with someone wanting their article taken down?

The website I am talking about is anabolicminds.com.

Here is a specific example:

Supplements - AnabolicMinds.com

every article in those categories is just reposted from the main source.

What is the point of Anabolic Minds doing this? Why do the main content creators not care? I highly doubt they contact each source and ask them for permission, there are hundreds of different sources.
#content #crossing #line #syndicated
  • Profile picture of the author AlexanderBeloev
    Originally Posted by Andrew Prince View Post

    How is this not stealing / copyright?

    I know this is syndicated content, and NOT dupicate, but how is this website allowed to take content / repost from all of these other sites? Almost all of the articles are reposted verbatim from a different source.

    Granted, they do post the article source link, and authors name... but why don't they run into trouble with someone wanting their article taken down?

    The website I am talking about is anabolicminds.com.

    Here is a specific example:

    Supplements - AnabolicMinds.com

    every article in those categories is just reposted from the main source.

    What is the point of Anabolic Minds doing this? Why do the main content creators not care? I highly doubt they contact each source and ask them for permission, there are hundreds of different sources.
    There is a link to the original source below every article! That way you are allowed to copy the content and paste it to your blog/website.

    It is even better, because these are backlinks and the main source can get direct traffic thru them and these backlinks will improve SEO rankings too
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    • Profile picture of the author Mark Singletary
      Originally Posted by AlexanderBeloev View Post

      There is a link to the original source below every article! That way you are allowed to copy the content and paste it to your blog/website.
      That is absolutely not true. Just because someone posts a link back to the source does NOT give them the right to use any article without the proper permission from the original source.

      I found one article within 30 seconds, for example, that is copied from a website that specifically prohibits using their articles elsewhere without written permission. Now maybe this site got written permission but I highly doubt it.

      Mark
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  • Profile picture of the author BudaBrit
    The writer loves it for the link.

    AnabolicMinds gets content for their site.

    Everyone wins. I don't see any problem.
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  • Profile picture of the author HeySal
    Most of the time when the article is posted with credits, posting has been allowed by the author. When articles are actually stolen or plagiarized, the credits aren't listed. These sites might have gotten the articles from distribution sites like Ezinearticles.com - and that is precisely what authors list them on submission sites for. They WANT their articles on other people's sites with that link and the credit. I've had my articles posted on hundreds of sites - and as long as my name and links are on that article, that's fantastic. I've had people contact me and ask me if they could post some, too. Getting that link and author's credit in front of as many people as possible is the whole POINT of syndication.

    Some sites use only articles from other authors. I'm not going to comment either way on that one - but as long as they've provided links and author's credits, if it works for them to never post any material of their own, then it works for them.
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    • Profile picture of the author Mark Singletary
      But not always - it depends. Some of these are from magazines - hard copy types - which typically don't let people pass around their content because the magazine itself is selling the content.

      Mark

      Originally Posted by HeySal View Post

      Most of the time when the article is posted with credits, posting has been allowed by the author. When articles are actually stolen or plagiarized, the credits aren't listed. These sites might have gotten the articles from distribution sites like Ezinearticles.com - and that is precisely what authors list them on submission sites for. They WANT their articles on other people's sites with that link and the credit. I've had my articles posted on hundreds of sites - and as long as my name and links are on that article, that's fantastic. I've had people contact me and ask me if they could post some, too. Getting that link and author's credit in front of as many people as possible is the whole POINT of syndication.

      Some sites use only articles from other authors. I'm not going to comment either way on that one - but as long as they've provided links and author's credits, if it works for them to never post any material of their own, then it works for them.
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  • Profile picture of the author Rob Whisonant
    Take a look at their About page.. at the bottom under contributors.

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    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
      Banned
      Originally Posted by Andrew Prince View Post

      How is this not stealing / copyright?
      My guess is that they have permission for everything they use. The authors like it, because they're getting traffic from it. That's article syndication for you.

      Originally Posted by Andrew Prince View Post

      Almost all of the articles are reposted verbatim from a different source.
      Sure - why not? It's a win/win. They get high-quality content for their site and their contributors get some traffic from them. As long as they have permission, obviously! This is the underlying basis of how article marketing works.

      Originally Posted by Andrew Prince View Post

      why don't they run into trouble with someone wanting their article taken down?
      This is a question that only they can answer. But my own guess is that they have permission to syndicate everything on the site. That's not so uncommon, you know?

      Originally Posted by Andrew Prince View Post

      I highly doubt they contact each source and ask them for permission
      Well, my own guess is that you're probably mistaken about that: it seems highly likely to me that that's exactly what they do, otherwise their website wouldn't still be hosted there.

      Originally Posted by AlexanderBeloev View Post

      There is a link to the original source below every article! That way you are allowed to copy the content and paste it to your blog/website.
      Only with permission. Linking to the source doesn't stop something from being a breach of copyright, if you don't have permission. But permission is very often given, of course, because the writer benefits from this arrangement, too.
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  • Profile picture of the author smodha
    Originally Posted by Andrew Prince View Post

    How is this not stealing / copyright?

    I know this is syndicated content, and NOT dupicate, but how is this website allowed to take content / repost from all of these other sites? Almost all of the articles are reposted verbatim from a different source.

    Granted, they do post the article source link, and authors name... but why don't they run into trouble with someone wanting their article taken down?

    The website I am talking about is anabolicminds.com.

    Here is a specific example:

    Supplements - AnabolicMinds.com

    every article in those categories is just reposted from the main source.

    What is the point of Anabolic Minds doing this? Why do the main content creators not care? I highly doubt they contact each source and ask them for permission, there are hundreds of different sources.
    I would say that is curated content more so than syndicated. There is nothing wrong with that as long as you reference the author/site which they are doing.

    Checkout Scoop.it. They actively promote curated content.
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    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
      Banned
      Originally Posted by smodha View Post

      I would say that is curated content more so than syndicated. There is nothing wrong with that as long as you reference the author/site which they are doing.
      Sorry, but this is wrong. That isn't what "content curation" means.

      Referencing the author/site from which they took the material, if it's a complete article, is not a defense to "breach of copyright". And neither is the belief that it's "curation". And a hosting company won't imagine that it is, either, when the first DMCA site take-down notice is served on them by email.
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  • Profile picture of the author kelvintoro
    Well if the the sources don't clearly state that they don't allow their content to be posted on other sites, then I don't think there's anything wrong with what they're doing. However, if the sources don't want their content reposted even with putting a link back to their sites, then they'll get into trouble. They'll soon find themselves receiving a cease and desist letter.
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    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
      Banned
      Originally Posted by kelvintoro View Post

      Well if the the sources don't clearly state that they don't allow their content to be posted on other sites, then I don't think there's anything wrong with what they're doing.
      You may not think there is, in those circumstances, Kelvin, but the law does, and so does their hosting company when the DMCA notices start to arrive, their domain registrar when they're notified of complaints, and so on.

      When you publish material on your own site, you don't have to "state that you don't allow it to be posted on other sites". That is the presumption, without anything being "stated". Anyone taking and re-publishing whole articles without your permission is breaching your copyright to the material.

      I'm really dismayed by some of the "opinions" expressed in this thread.

      It's no wonder some people do what they do, when "it says so in the Warrior Forum".
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  • Profile picture of the author HeySal
    Yes - the KEY operative word here is "permission". When someone posts an article on a submission site - that is permission and you don't have to talk to anyone to use it as long as you put the credits with it (sig and links). You can BUY articles, sometimes the rights require the author credits, so you are just paying for use. You can ASK someone if you can post their work. There are all sorts of legal ways to get material.

    If you aren't using material legally with permission and think it's okay because you've never been caught, well, maybe you haven't, but nobody is required to give you a warning before suing your a** for it if they find out you've posted it. You are fortunate when someone finds you stealing thier stuff and all you get is a notice to take it down. It's the same for images. There are a few companies that are extremely aggressive about searching for thieves and charging exorbitant prices for it if they find it stolen on someone's site - and you don't get a notice.

    Just because we're online doesn't mean you don't have to practice "real" world business procedures and follow real business laws.

    There's plenty of material for free usage - just use it correctly and you won't have a problem.
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  • Profile picture of the author Andrew Prince
    So far, I contacted all of the same websites that they're posting to, and one so far already told me their content is copyrighted and not to be shared. So I sent them a link of one of their articles in copyscape for them. I wonder if these other blogs have some kind of relationship with them or a contract of some sort... Or if I am just in contact or emailing some low level tech person...

    GOOD written quality content is expensive... ~$20 / article it would cost $100+ per day just to keep your blog updated with fresh new articles everyday. And I am no writer...

    Is there a website to find / purchase syndicated content related to what I am looking for in the health markets for working out, supplements, workouts, nutrition etc perhaps?
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    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
      Banned
      Originally Posted by Andrew Prince View Post

      GOOD written quality content is expensive... ~$20 / article it would cost $100+ per day just to keep your blog updated with fresh new articles everyday. And I am no writer...
      There's some good-quality content available free, Andrew. That's what article directories are for, you know?

      Admittedly there's a lot of very poor-quality content in them, too, but if you look through Ezine Articles - which has better content than most - you may find some high-quality ones. Their only purpose in being there is to be re-published by people who need content (in exchange for the preservation of the links in the resource-boxes, of course - always read the terms of use!).
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      • Profile picture of the author Andrew Prince
        Originally Posted by Alexa Smith View Post

        There's some good-quality content available free, Andrew. That's what article directories are for, you know?

        Admittedly there's a lot of very poor-quality content in them, too, but if you look through Ezine Articles - which has better content than most - you may find some high-quality ones. Their only purpose in being there is to be re-published by people who need content (in exchange for the preservation of the links in the resource-boxes, of course - always read the terms of use!).
        Those articles are garbage to what I am comparing it to. Not to mention, the author links and resource boxes are the spammiest looking links back to their sites ever.
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        • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
          Banned
          Originally Posted by Andrew Prince View Post

          Those articles are garbage to what I am comparing it to.
          I don't know what you're comparing it with, but some are very good. It takes quite a bit of effort to find them, certainly.

          Originally Posted by Andrew Prince View Post

          Not to mention, the author links and resource boxes are the spammiest looking links back to their sites ever.
          I hear you there, but that's the price you pay for getting them free of charge. When you're complaining about having to pay $20 per article (there are people here and elsewhere writing articles for ten times that price, and more) it's perhaps a little incongruous also to be complaining about people providing free content wanting links back to their site, isn't it?

          You'd like a large supply of easy-to-find, first-class quality content to be available at ultra-low prices without any strings and catches at all? I hear you. Wouldn't we all.
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