Plagiarism to what extent?!
Lately I have been seeing a lot of blog content being stolen everywhere in the food blogosphere, sometimes by some websites, blogs or forums, and sometimes by magazines and newapapers. Every other food blogger complains about their content, either in the form of text, or the pictures being stolen away by ‘thiefs’ blatantly. This has left me baffled, dissapointed and very frustrated.
Through sources, I had a few days back discovered a website through which people were coming to my website. I was horrified when I visited this website ‘www(dot)zaaiqa(dot)net’. My blog URL is http://www.zaiqa.net/ and the only difference between theirs and mine is an extra single ‘a’ in zaiqa. They have used my blog URL at the footer of their website, and also at their ‘Contact Us’ page, please visit their website to see it for yourselves. I tried contacting them through all possible ways they have mentioned on their website. It seems to be a bogus website using my URL, but how do I ask them why on earth are they using my blog URL at their ‘Contact Us’ page? And how do I report that website as spam? I do not know what and who they are? I need to remove my blog URL from their website as the real owner of my blog is me!, so why are they using my blog URL? Can anyone provide me with suggestions and help me in this regards?
Image Source: Bong Moms Cookbook
I have also discovered an another blog which has stolen a picture from my blog. My recipe picture of Khichdi has been stolen by …. (Updated July 28th ’08:The blogger was sorry on her part and was apologetic to her mistakes. Link to her blog removed upon her request. She has replaced my khichdi photo with her own photo now, and is now posting her own pictures on her blog and doing a great job!)
Do people have no civility to ask before they use anyone’s content? This is not fair, not fair at all. This should be stopped, somehow. Ask us before you want to use our content. Read the Copyright Notice of the website first, seek approval to use the content, and only then, consider of using the material that is not yours! Dont you ask before you wish to use anyones belongings? Its ia common sense.
We food bloggers put in lot of efforts in maintaining a blog for the sake of our passion for food. We write about food, share our zeal, not for people to simply lift away our material. Have some decency people!
All this has left me very disheartened and demoralized.. I hope this shameless act of plagiarism ends soon.
Updated July 28th ’08: I am so delighted and glad! The good news is that both zaaiqa(dot)net website has been closed down and the my recipe pictures has been removed by the blogger as they both had violated the copyright policy of my blog. I thank all those who helped me out in this cause. Cheers!
Luv,
Mona
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July 21st, 2008 at 1:14 pm
Thats really bad …it happens very often now a days….read many like this recently…even meeta of whats cooking for lunch honey is facing a problem like this with times of india newspaper….what to say…originality is at a question now …..
July 21st, 2008 at 4:07 pm
MOna, these people will not stop, ther are far too many of them! however, you can report the particular website and/or blog asspam to google, as the first step!
really sorry about it!
July 21st, 2008 at 4:56 pm
I can understand Mona how painful it is to see our material and pics on others blog with their names. I had faced that too. Initially I posted without edited food pictures. I saw that few people are putting it on their site and forwarding those recipes with their name in yahoo groups. n When I complained to blog owner and yahoo-grp moderator, they blocked my emails and comments :(. From that time I edit pictures. Leave it dear people dont understand, n if u will think more than u only will be affected. This is very bad.
July 21st, 2008 at 4:59 pm
I just hate reading stories like this. Unfortunately, Mansi is right; there are simply too many dishonest people out there who are also too lazy and uncreative to make their own content. Sorry to read this.
July 21st, 2008 at 6:09 pm
I’m not sure that adding the extra a on zaiqa would be a problem, from a legal standpoint… but It’s really frustrating that someone would have the nerve to steal pictures or recipes, and then not give credit to the originator! I’m sorry you have had some of your work taken from you 🙁 I hope you get a response, and the situation can be fixed.
July 21st, 2008 at 5:30 pm
That’s a good stand Mona…I hope people realise that copying pictures and pasting written material is no good. Why can’t they be creative…why bother to take credit for other people’s work!
By the way have you heard anything from the Zaaiqa website or the other food blog yet?
Lubna, I have not heard anything from either of them yet. ~Mona
July 22nd, 2008 at 3:00 am
maybe this info about the zaaiqa. net domain will help you take it to the next level, i found it by looking up whois.net.
Admin Name……….. Azhar Qureshi
Admin Address…….. 10958 Scripps Ranch Blvd
Admin Address…….. #1F
Admin Address…….. San Diego
Admin Address…….. 92131
Admin Address…….. CA
Admin Address…….. UNITED STATES
Admin Email………. allerokizzi(at)yahoo(dot)com
Admin Phone………. +1.8585271192
Thanks, but I have even tried this Subhorup. As soon as I discovered this website, I tried contacting them through this too. Theres no reply from them till now. ~Mona
July 22nd, 2008 at 1:22 pm
I would advise you to watermark your pics across the picture and not on the corner. When the watermark is in the corner of your pic, it becomes easier for these people to cut that part and use your pictures. Its a shame they do all this, but it is our responsibility to make it as hard as possible for these people.
I find it disgusting that some people resort to openly lifting articles off your page to make their site popular.
However, this is my piece of advice. Hope this helps, and hope you get hold of these people.
July 22nd, 2008 at 10:01 pm
Hi Mona,
So sorry to hear about your unfortunate situation. I just tried to visit the Zaaiqa website and it doesn’t look like its up anymore. Did they close it down?
July 23rd, 2008 at 1:27 am
Sorry to see this. As suggested i think you should put your watermark in between so that it becomes harder to lift anything from your blog.
July 24th, 2008 at 7:14 am
Hi, I feel so sorry to read this post. I hope you are able to solve this matter soon. How unfortunate and sad that people do not care about respecting other’s work! I am new to the blog world, and I have not used a watermark or put a copyright statement yet…
July 24th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
Hey Mona,
Thanks for your comment on Egg-Curry ! and welcome to my site 🙂
Ive been copyrighting my images too ! – but I guess Even I shall need a watermark right across the image as people have suggested above !
Its sad to see people simply copying images …. and taking credit for your hard-work…
Trust me Ive spent days in trying to draw those images myself, on my site and I know the efforts it takes 2 do so ! Keep visiting
Rgds,
Sam !
July 24th, 2008 at 4:18 pm
Asak Mona, just read thru ur post, I am truly sorry and upset by all this, this is happening ever so often now,we fellow bloggers know how hard it is to put up a recipe with uploading photos and editing content and all,..it is just a bitter lesson we all learn from this to watermark our pics so that they cannot be stolen..take care
July 25th, 2008 at 1:12 pm
There’s been so much going on these days! too bad… I can feel how frustrating this is.. Just complain about the site to google..
July 27th, 2008 at 4:03 am
Hey Mona-
I hope your summer is going well? I am sorry to hear about your plagiarism problem, but I just tried visiting the “extra a” clone and it looks like it was removed; good that you were active about doing something! And if its any consolation: since were copied it must mean that you have a pretty darned-good blog worthy of it! 😉 (I’m still waiting for my first time at this problem) 🙁
Your recent post of green beans-made-into-gravy (sem ki phalli ka salan) looks scrumptious, but I really enjoyed seeing those Batman birds in the cherry tree! Too cool!
July 27th, 2008 at 11:49 am
assalaumalikum dear mona,
read your post and i am really soory for what happened to you.i can understand your anger as this is a website you build with love and passion and its really frustrating when someone just steals.i hope who ever is doing it just stops and trys to put up something he/she has done.
July 27th, 2008 at 11:57 pm
Hi Mona,
Sorry to hear that you are a victim of plagiarism. Hope your problem gets resolved very soon and those heartless people are taught a lesson for taking credit of others works. I just started watermarking my pictures, but know i feel what i have done is less and i should put some more effort into making a better watermark for my pictures.
Don’t worry everything will get solved very soon , we all are with you.
Sabita
August 21st, 2008 at 7:52 pm
AsSalaam Alaykum Mona,
The act of plagiarism is result of laziness. Its sad to know kitchen flavors copied your images and not removed in spite of your discontent. You made this website spending hours and some one steals your work in matter of seconds. Clearly an act of disgrace.
the other website zaaiqa is not accessible.
We learn a lot from unfortunate events. You probably learn t some thing good from this act of plagiarism , that is to be more careful and watermark all your images.
October 26th, 2009 at 4:26 am
you can use creative commons copyright for your webpage/recipes as well as go to copyscape.com or copyscape,net and secure your site. hope this helps.
November 13th, 2009 at 10:33 am
dear mona, i am so glad that you were able to nab this plagiariser. i can imagine how extremely frustrating it must be. there is a lady who has a lovely blog called Simply Recipes, and I have heard she is trying to deal with a huge plagiarism issue. i recently experienced something like this, but it was a more subtle form of plagiarism. a girl was reading my blog 24/7 and using it for “inspiration”. when i saw her blog, i was shocked to see she had copied photography and other concepts, ideas, topics and my writing style. thankfully, she apologised and removed the posts and photos. but it was so difficult to pin point to her what she had done- bec she denied it. there are many others out there who are shameless and wont remove the information or apologise. you’re lucky the girl who plagiarised from you offered you an apology. i have only just stumbled upon your blog and look forward to looking through it, seems like we are from a similar part of the world. best wishes, shayma
January 22nd, 2014 at 2:55 am
I’m happy to report that I didn’t find this fake zaiqa website. Glad this issue has been resolved.