10 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}
10 {{ upvoteCount | shortNum }}

Taking & Selling Notes from Someone Else's Conference or Product

by BrianTubbs
8 replies
Seems like a lot of folks out there try to make a few bucks by taking notes from another marketer's conference, workshop, or product -- and then turning around and selling those notes to their lists, on Fiverr, or (I've seen it at least once) here on the Warrior Forum.

Is this legal? (I suppose it is, so long as you're not plagiarizing outright, but if you're taking notes on "secret sauce" type strategies and such, you're skirting the lines there, aren't you?)

And, perhaps a better question, is it ethical?

If I were the product creator or conference organizer, I would hope that the person taking and selling those notes would ask my permission, be willing to share revenues with me, etc. But maybe I'm off base here.

What are your thoughts on this practice?
#conference #notes #product #selling #taking
  • Profile picture of the author oldschoolwarrior
    The legality of it is questionable.
    Unless you signed some type on non disclosure, or confidentiality agreement, than its just one more form of information marketing.

    Taking what you have learned from your (training) experience, and putting it down into print, is exactly what every ebook out there is.

    They are your notes, not provided recordings,ppt files, ect.

    However, throwing it up on fivver or something like that, is just a sad attempt for a lazy, self proclaimed 'marketer' to actually make a few dollars.
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7634625].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
    Personally? I think it's pretty sleazy.

    It could also be expensive. I did a couple of projects with an outfit that did group seminars. A non-disclosure agreement was written right into the application - if you paid you fee and attended, you agreed to the NDA.

    Even if there was no explicit NDA, you could open yourself up to copyright infringement suits for creating derivative works.

    Not legal advice, just a word to the wise...
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7634633].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author napoleonfirst
    Yes, you should contact the owner of the product and let him/her know what you think or plan to do.
    Signature
    My Money-Making Secrets Will Blow Your Mind
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7634665].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author donhx
      You can't copyright ideas, so sharing ideas is not illegal. No permission is needed to share them.

      Of course, you can't copy the actual sentences verbatim because that would be copyright infringement. You can use tiny amounts in quotes with attribution under fair use in most cases.

      Is it ethical? That depends. Did you recycle the ideas though your own brain and apply your own experience to the new product? Then you own it as much as anyone. As Wilson Mizner has said, "If you steal from one person, it's plagiarism, if you steal from many, it's research." I mean... that's the process where the material came from in the first place, probably though many iterations. There is little invention in this world, but lots of innovation.

      In my opinion, even though I am not a lawyer, it is nonsense to either request or supply a non-disclosure agreement in the IM business. It's not rocket science. People are in the constant process of churning virtually the same information, so an NDA would be pointless. If someone has developed a valuable process, and it was unique, they would be allowed to patent it and that would be real protection. I would never sign a NDA simply because most often the people who want you to sign them think their information is unique, when it isn't.
      Signature
      Quality content to beat the competition. Personalized Author Services
      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7634758].message }}
      • Profile picture of the author oldschoolwarrior
        Originally Posted by donhx View Post

        I would never sign a NDA simply because most often the people who want you to sign them think their information is unique, when it isn't.
        Most often isn't always the best way to judge something.
        Most Often people don't ever make a dime in internet marketing, yet that hasn't stopped you from pursuing, and most likely, taking yourself out of the Most Often.

        Search Engines are one of the biggest forces of Internet Marketing, and best believe their employees have signed NDA or Non Compete, or something.

        Same would go with programming. I have signed several NDA's while working, or communicating with Internet Marketers.
        {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7634818].message }}
        • Profile picture of the author donhx
          Originally Posted by oldschoolwarrior View Post

          Most often isn't always the best way to judge something.
          Most Often people don't ever make a dime in internet marketing, yet that hasn't stopped you from pursuing, and most likely, taking yourself out of the Most Often.

          Search Engines are one of the biggest forces of Internet Marketing, and best believe their employees have signed NDA or Non Compete, or something.

          Same would go with programming. I have signed several NDA's while working, or communicating with Internet Marketers.
          Most often... I don't reply to posts like yours, but I'll make an exception in this case. You appear to be a newbie here, so I want to show you every kindness. "Most often" is a good term to use for people like myself who prefer not to speak in dogmatic terms. Most often... there are exceptions to everything, so it is a wise practice to follow.

          The OP did not have a question about search engine employees or programmers. It was about sharing conference or product notes. The difference is significant. If you want a job and it has a NDA attached, I suppose you would make a choice. However, if you attend a webinar, pay for a conference or buy a product, then I would say... most often... a person would be goofy to do that. They are paying for the information to use as they wish without strings attached. If a NDA is required to buy something, I'd easily take a pass.

          Likewise, I do freelance jobs and I would never sign a NDA. If I signed a DNA, it would limit the work I take in the future on a similar theme, lest they claim I shared their information. They don't pay enough to "buy" future jobs I might do dealing with the same topic. In my 30 years, I find that only paranoid newbies require a NDA for the kind of work I do.

          Most often... it is unwise to sign a NDA. Especially in the IM field, like I said in my previous post. That's my experience.
          Signature
          Quality content to beat the competition. Personalized Author Services
          {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7635559].message }}
  • Profile picture of the author HKSEO Jonbones
    Legal, no, it's notes.
    Ethical? Eh...
    lazy? 100%
    Signature
    Letmeknowseo.comSEO News and tips From real SEO'ers!
    Linklicious- Get your links crawled, so they can count
    SEO Black Book By: R.L. Adams An Insider's Guide to the SEO Industry
    Glowing Reviews- Get your Online Business Reviews to STICK!
    {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7634828].message }}
    • Profile picture of the author Lisha5684
      Originally Posted by HKSEO Jonbones View Post

      Legal, no, it's notes.
      Ethical? Eh...
      lazy? 100%
      haha! lol. agree? 100%

      (but I think you meant "ILlegal, no, it's notes"...

      but yeah, it's definitely lazy and sleazy. Although, I also agree with above comment about how that is almost every ebook out there (except the ones I write, lol)
      Signature

      -Start Getting Noticed On Twitter: http://twonderwoman.com
      -Visit my blog: http://blogandretire.com/blog - Tips for blogging, social media marketing, and online business.

      {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[7635615].message }}

Trending Topics