Plagiarism

[Dreamer]

Once again I had to delete an author from the site due to plagiarism. Unfortunately this time it was one of us. One of the more long term trusted of the site. I feel very disappointed in this person and took it as seriously as if it was a new comer to the site that I did not know.

Before anyone gets up in arms about it or calls foul I want to let you all know that I found over 4 poems and possibly more that were blatant stolen work. One was of an famous author dead since 1915 and one other that was by another famous author. This person accepted the praise for the work as their own when commented too. This person was caught by a reader of the site and did not volunteer their guilt. This person should be ashamed of themselves for putting us (their friends) at risk.

I will tell you now if I or anyone else finds anyone has plagiarized on my site they will be removed and banned from my site without honor or question. This is against the law and against anything we as writers stand for. It could have been as easily your poem that was stolen and posted under this persons name. This sort of action puts not only me at risk of being sued it also puts at risk this entire community of writers/friends that we have put together.

The only way I have of preventing this from happening to you is that I date everything that comes into this site. Every poem on this website has a date of submission in the background of the page and can easily be accessed by me as proof at any time. This allows the proof of ownership to you. It is not, however, to be assumed as a true government copyright, but it can help in that direction.

If you find your work has been plagiarized on the internet. The best thing to do is write the sites owner and be truthful and respectful since he or she may not have the knowledge that this has happened.

Most webmasters, like me, take this very seriously and will delete the culprit without batting an eye if proof is given. You don't have to threaten them to get them to do this. We are mostly people just like you. We don't want to risk getting sued or our hard work being removed for something that is beyond our control. I have talked to other webmasters about this sort of thing before and all that I have talked to are in agreement about this.

Webmasters don't play with Plagiarism. It's not worth it to us.

Some of you might not know what Plagiarism is. Google has a whole page on it

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&oi=defmore&q=define:PLAGIARISM

Simply put it is:
"Using the work (or part of it) of another person and claiming it as your own."
definition was found here:
[url]strategis.ic.gc.ca/sc_mrksv/cipo/help/glos-e.html[/url]


I know many of you grew as poets here. Some of you starting when pretty young, and have stayed through the years.

I will allow adult onset honesty to prevail at this point and for two weeks only. If you have plagiarized in the past and would like to rectify yourself before it gets caught by someone else, or myself, I will allow you to write me personally through my email and let me know. Honesty does pay sometimes...

I will delete the bad choice of the past without reprimand or question or comment.. This is a two week grace period for honesty.... After that if caught all your work will be deleted and you will be removed and banned from the site permanently.. Just put "Honesty" in the subject line so I can flag it. No one else will be the wiser since most of us here have many poems.
I chose to put this here instead of a closed subject because I feel it should be discussed and not a closed subject left silent and un-talked about.

Becky

[LinzAy]

I, actually, do think it was this writers fault for putting themselves out in the open like that with poems that could be recognized by the right person at the right time. I feel bad that we lost someone we somewhat go to know, and was with us for so long. But breaking the rules like that does need some reprimanding. I think it was a good call, I don't know what I'd do if something as stupid as that would've gotten this site penalized or you, Becky.

Keep looking out for what's best for you and this site.

[Seizure]

Before anyone thinks it was me... i can still post!

[Dreamer]

nope wasn't you

[LinzAy]

Before anyone thinks it was me... i can still post!

rofl.....your hilarious Seiz!

[bingholic98]

Did I screw up Bbecky

[Seizure]

though I am very interested in knowing who it was... but i understand why Becky won't lay it out.

[Dreamer]

If your poems are still on site it was not you....

[rubydragon]

I have a vague idea because I know of poem on this site that is. I'll check and if that poem is still on the site, I'll let ya know Becky.

[rubydragon]

Ok I was right when I thought I knew, and it seems they have been caught. So I will shut up now. But I know who submitted the anonymous comment on the poem notifying the readers that it was plagirised. Yea I'm gonna shut up, before I get into trouble.