[jacquesm]

You really don't get it do you?

> If it ever does happen, I assure you that all it takes is one email to [e-mail] and we'll have it resolved.

I'm sure it does. But the point is that you should ensure through process and not through policy that you do not end up with other people's stuff on your site without attribution or compensation.

The fact that you'll take it down to avoid further damage is not enough to put you in the clear, this is not 'user generated content', these are people with who you have a relationship where you have them create works on your behalf.

You're responsible.

One way in which you could do this - consult your local legal eagle - is to ask your authors to sign a release stating that they are the original creators of all the content they submit, and that they are within their rights to re-sell this content to you.

[jaylevitt]

No, he really doesn't get it.

From his public "apology"[1]:

"The debate on paraphrasing, rewriting and quoting we should save for another post."

Zee: THAT'S THE PLAGIARISM PART.

[1] https://docs.google.com/document/d/1M92qqFrK2zlqCoaQV_l_wuxI...

[zeedotme]

We do have processes AND policy in place to make sure this doesn't happen. But it can still happen unintentionally and when it does, we react activity and proactively.

[jacquesm]

> we react activity and proactively.

That does not parse but I think you're confusing aggressively with actively and proactively with defensively.

All at once. And you look pretty silly in the process.

Just apologize to the guy, make sure you'll never do it again.

As long as you keep spinning this will make you look worse and worse.

It's obvious that you don't have a process in place because then this would not happen.

This was not unintentional, there is 0 chance of that.

Nobody copies a chunk of text like that unintentional, nobody behaves like you did in this thread and elsewhere unintentional.

The cover-up is worse than the crime, if you had been a responsible adult about this in the first place it would have gone away long ago.

It was dumb. Only you can stop it.

[dkersten]

And spam the guys twitter saying he is overreacting and that its ridiculous that hes getting the slightest bit annoyed at the fact that you ripped his work off? Wow.. Just WOW.

[famousactress]

Don't be ridiculous, this wasn't "unintentional". Additionally, it's impossible to react proactively.

[josephcooney]

Excellent point re: reacting proactive-ly. At some point you've taken so many action items on-board, uplifted so much capability and re-purposed to much content that all the corporate buzz-words just start making perfect sense.

[mnicole]

By telling the original authors you'll be sure to 'steer clear' of them in the future for being upset that they weren't credited until it made you look like an ass? Yikes.

[drewblaisdell]

This was not unintentional, though. The writer clearly took a screenshot of someone else's work and made no effort to even credit work that should not have been used in the first place.

[white_devil]

You know, we were already convinced you're a sleazebag. Lying to our faces in an attempt at damage control was unnecessary.

[rhizome]

I don't suppose your policies and processes allow for the actual author to receive the ad income from your use of his story, do they?

[mwilcox]

Proactive and reactive are complete opposites. You cannot 'react' 'proactively'.

[icodeforlove]

talk about a great way to ruin a company image... just shows that a company can't do this anymore to the masses, the people are not as silenced. Its now actually in a companies best intrest to be legitimate ;)

[csomar]

It's clear that you react to it (reading through the CEO comments)

[artursapek]

You are a hoot.

[logjam]

Quit using manager-bullshit-speak. Here, let me write your entire "processes AND policy" manual for plagiarism:

1) Don't do it;

2) If it occurs, fire the guy who did it;

3) Apologize and try to make it right;

4) Shut up.

You seem to find each one of those steps challenging.

[junto]

Actually, the boss should carry the can: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Command_responsibility