A random search of Google revealed a piece of writing I had written for Youth Yournalism International / The Tattoo earlier this year. It was an opinion piece on the USA Presidential Elections and its effect on South Africa and th African Content.
Youth Journalism International is a non-profit organisation that gives voice to aspiring young writers and journalists. The pieces we write for them remain under their copyright and the editors did inform us in writing that they may give other bodies permission to use our writing.
However, something gave me the inkling that if this site had indeed asked for permission from YJI, they would have informed me. Correspondence brought to light that the site (which, for now, I shall not mention) had indeed not been in contact with YJI. At least they stated my name and affilliation - apparently much worse has happened.
It causes for some concern regarding the electronic media. How many writers will randomly search their name to see if anybody is publishing their work without permission? And who is to say that people will put the author's name - that they do not perhaps pass it off as their own work? Must we then search random phrases in our pieces? What about people who copy only a paragraph?
What about websites that require a membership fee to view material? This will then not show up on a search engine.
I guess plagiarism happens in paper and in electronic media, but truth be told, the internet just makes it that much easier.
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