Magazine Steals Articles, Claims the Internet Is Public Domain

Consumerist has the story: A writer was surprised to discover that an article she wrote for a website in 2005 was reprinted wholesale by Cooks (sic) Source Magazine. She contacted Cooks Source and asked them to apologize and donate $130 to the Columbia School of Journalism. The e-mail she received in response is amazing:

Yes Monica, I have been doing this for 3 decades, having been an editor at The Voice, Housitonic Home and Connecticut Woman Magazine. I do know about copyright laws. It was “my bad” indeed, and, as the magazine is put together in long sessions, tired eyes and minds somethings forget to do these things.

But honestly Monica, the web is considered “public domain” and you should be happy we just didn’t “lift” your whole article and put someone else’s name on it! It happens a lot, clearly more than you are aware of, especially on college campuses, and the workplace.

They then suggested that the writer should pay Cooks Source Magazine for the editing her piece received before they ran the stolen article. People on LiveJournal are discovering that Cooks Source has stolen pieces from NPR and Foodnetwork.com, among others. The magazine’s Facebook page is here. (Shockingly, it hasn’t been taken down yet.)