The issue of IPR and blogs is quite controversial to me. For example, it's common use taking pictures from the web and posting them on a personal blog, on Facebook, anywhere. In such a case, I think those who really think about copyright and plagiarism are very few, especially in Italy, where this problem is not regarded as relevant. I have to admit that I'm not really aware of the problem either. At least I wasn't until this experience with blogs and wikis. On the one hand I think that if someone puts somethig on the web it's because they want to share it. So why prohibiting other people from using it? On the other hand, I started viewing the problem from another perspective as I read this:
"We bloggers generally pride ourselves on uniqueness and creativity. We get a rush when we see others linking to our posts and reading our feeds, since it usually means that they find value in what we have to say. Unfortunately, not everyone who reads your blog does so for legitimate reasons. Some unscrupulous individuals in the blogosphere are only out to scrape your content for their own websites, ripping off your material and claiming it as their own." (DailyBlogTips. Retrieved from http://www.dailyblogtips.com/blog-plagiarism-qa/ on April 19, 2009)
The new perspective I was talking about is MY perspective, that of the blogger who creates something. As the passage above states, I would be very proud of seeing my blog appreciated and used for some purposes, but in a legitimate way. This means that there should be the aknowledgement that I am the author and so a clear reference to my blog.
I think then that respecting the so called Intellectual Property Rights guarantees the 'fair play' in the blogoshpere. As I whish to be a fair user I need to know the rules to avoid plagiarism. I know that referencing is fundamental to give aknowledgment to the original source. This is the case for quotations, paraphases and summaries of written texts.
Things get a little more complicated with pictures and videos. Indeed, I still have a doubt: if these contents are covered by copyright, is it totally forbidden using them or can I use them if I provide a clear reference of the source? The question is rather trikcy. However, I am discovering helpful tools. For example last semester I got to know Creative Commons. Now when I need some pictures to put on the web I always look, usually in flickr :-), for pictures covered by cc licence.
I think the general rule to avoid plagiarism is trying to make most by ourselves, to be creative, to use the blog as place where we can express ourselves, our ideas and our reflections. What we find in the web is of course fundamental because we are interacting with the other web users. As fair users we have to be respectful towards each other.
"We bloggers generally pride ourselves on uniqueness and creativity. We get a rush when we see others linking to our posts and reading our feeds, since it usually means that they find value in what we have to say. Unfortunately, not everyone who reads your blog does so for legitimate reasons. Some unscrupulous individuals in the blogosphere are only out to scrape your content for their own websites, ripping off your material and claiming it as their own." (DailyBlogTips. Retrieved from http://www.dailyblogtips.com/blog-plagiarism-qa/ on April 19, 2009)
The new perspective I was talking about is MY perspective, that of the blogger who creates something. As the passage above states, I would be very proud of seeing my blog appreciated and used for some purposes, but in a legitimate way. This means that there should be the aknowledgement that I am the author and so a clear reference to my blog.
I think then that respecting the so called Intellectual Property Rights guarantees the 'fair play' in the blogoshpere. As I whish to be a fair user I need to know the rules to avoid plagiarism. I know that referencing is fundamental to give aknowledgment to the original source. This is the case for quotations, paraphases and summaries of written texts.
Things get a little more complicated with pictures and videos. Indeed, I still have a doubt: if these contents are covered by copyright, is it totally forbidden using them or can I use them if I provide a clear reference of the source? The question is rather trikcy. However, I am discovering helpful tools. For example last semester I got to know Creative Commons. Now when I need some pictures to put on the web I always look, usually in flickr :-), for pictures covered by cc licence.
I think the general rule to avoid plagiarism is trying to make most by ourselves, to be creative, to use the blog as place where we can express ourselves, our ideas and our reflections. What we find in the web is of course fundamental because we are interacting with the other web users. As fair users we have to be respectful towards each other.
Hi!
RispondiEliminaHow are you? Hope you had a nice Easter! :-)
I was reading your post about IPR and saw the Creative Commons website. It is a good resource, and keeps you upated with all the latest info about IPR! I didn't know it, so I think you found a good site.
As for your English, I think you wrote "trikcy" instead of "tricky", maybe you were in a hurry! ;-)
See you in class!
s.