Blog Fight! February 11, 2008 3:24 PM Subscribe
What's the company line on excerpting stuff from MeFi on other websites?
I read some of the Gawker blogs occasionally and every now and then I see links to AskMeFi posts, which I imagine is fine considering it's only a link and is probably driving traffic to this site. Today there's a full excerpt on Consumerist. They did provide a citation and a link, but I'm curious how the head honchos feel about this. Encouraged to drive traffic? Meh? Outraged? Should one only take material from the site if one is a member and attributes it properly? I guess what gives me pause in this Consumerist example is that they've copied enough material from that thread so that there is really no reason to follow the link to MeFi - aside from the quick blurb at the top, there's nothing original there and they're generating ad revenue from it.
I read some of the Gawker blogs occasionally and every now and then I see links to AskMeFi posts, which I imagine is fine considering it's only a link and is probably driving traffic to this site. Today there's a full excerpt on Consumerist. They did provide a citation and a link, but I'm curious how the head honchos feel about this. Encouraged to drive traffic? Meh? Outraged? Should one only take material from the site if one is a member and attributes it properly? I guess what gives me pause in this Consumerist example is that they've copied enough material from that thread so that there is really no reason to follow the link to MeFi - aside from the quick blurb at the top, there's nothing original there and they're generating ad revenue from it.
I'm a little less peeved by this than Matt, I think. Clear citation of and link to a compelling comment, in what appears to be a one-off? Sure. If they were echoing it without credit, or starting a Daily Mefi Content Quoted In Full feature without talking to us first, that'd be weirder. It's systematic, bad-faith ripping that bugs me; this just seems like the web at work, if on the long side of quotation.
I may be on the laissez side of the faire fence on this one, though.
posted by cortex (staff) at 3:36 PM on February 11, 2008 [1 favorite]
I may be on the laissez side of the faire fence on this one, though.
posted by cortex (staff) at 3:36 PM on February 11, 2008 [1 favorite]
I think copying a LONG text excerpt (without the username) instead of linking to the comment is a bit sketch but I generally like Consumerist. Just seems SEO-ish lame to me.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 4:02 PM on February 11, 2008
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 4:02 PM on February 11, 2008
Oh no! Let's go march outside their offices dressed like that dude in the Guy Fawkes mask best-known from that awful goth power fantasy movie that came out a couple of years ago!
posted by 1 at 4:05 PM on February 11, 2008 [2 favorites]
posted by 1 at 4:05 PM on February 11, 2008 [2 favorites]
No, let's sit back in our easy chairs and wait for the Gawker Media Goon Squads to come and take us away. WTF, 1?
posted by wendell at 4:17 PM on February 11, 2008
posted by wendell at 4:17 PM on February 11, 2008
At the very least they should have included the username since they were using the entire comment.
posted by R. Mutt at 4:17 PM on February 11, 2008
posted by R. Mutt at 4:17 PM on February 11, 2008
In general I think the spirit of the web is to excerpt a paragraph or two at the max, and send people on their way to the original site. That's what links are for!!
posted by cell divide at 4:19 PM on February 11, 2008
posted by cell divide at 4:19 PM on February 11, 2008
So you're a company man, eh?
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 4:22 PM on February 11, 2008
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 4:22 PM on February 11, 2008
I'm of the opinion that ANYTHING published in RSS is meant to be syndicated, hence re-published.
posted by blue_beetle at 4:29 PM on February 11, 2008
posted by blue_beetle at 4:29 PM on February 11, 2008
Hmm. In this case, I think it's a good thing that they quoted so extensively, 'cause they're getting the word out about a scam—but they should've included the name of the commenter, rather than just saying "this screwed eBay seller over on Metafilter." Also this, Consumerist: It's MetaFilter.
posted by limeonaire at 4:36 PM on February 11, 2008
posted by limeonaire at 4:36 PM on February 11, 2008
On the username thing, agreed. That's one note that's a little sour for me.
(When I think of scummy, I think of this howu.info thread.)
posted by cortex (staff) at 4:43 PM on February 11, 2008
(When I think of scummy, I think of this howu.info thread.)
posted by cortex (staff) at 4:43 PM on February 11, 2008
A better question would be "How does procrastination feel?". If it was me the quote seems excessively long and I'd be miffed they didn't attach my handle.
posted by Mitheral at 4:46 PM on February 11, 2008
posted by Mitheral at 4:46 PM on February 11, 2008
blue_beetle, thanks for that: "Syndication is a great way of making news updates, blog entries and podcasts immediately available to a Web audience."
I'm of the opinion that rss syndication is not the same thing as saying:
"please stick your large bore cannula into my aorta and syphon off my blood supply"
Etiquette.
posted by peacay at 4:52 PM on February 11, 2008
I'm of the opinion that rss syndication is not the same thing as saying:
"please stick your large bore cannula into my aorta and syphon off my blood supply"
Etiquette.
posted by peacay at 4:52 PM on February 11, 2008
That's why you should always pick a username you don't mind propagating.
posted by BeerFilter at 4:52 PM on February 11, 2008 [1 favorite]
posted by BeerFilter at 4:52 PM on February 11, 2008 [1 favorite]
"please stick your large bore cannula into my aorta and syphon off my blood supply"
Whoa, at least buy me a drink first.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:29 PM on February 11, 2008
Whoa, at least buy me a drink first.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 5:29 PM on February 11, 2008
They drink our MILKSHAKE!!!
posted by Rumple at 5:38 PM on February 11, 2008 [2 favorites]
posted by Rumple at 5:38 PM on February 11, 2008 [2 favorites]
From the consumerist's comments, this is kind of funny (scroll down)
posted by Rumple at 5:46 PM on February 11, 2008 [2 favorites]
posted by Rumple at 5:46 PM on February 11, 2008 [2 favorites]
Rumple, that was hilarious.
posted by brain_drain at 5:55 PM on February 11, 2008
posted by brain_drain at 5:55 PM on February 11, 2008
(When I think of scummy, I think of this howu.info thread.)
I actually had to pay a lawyer to write them a scary letter telling them to stop a few months ago. They don't repost threads from Ask MeFi anymore as far as I can tell, but they never responded to my emails so I have no idea if it was because of the letter or just coincidence.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 5:58 PM on February 11, 2008
I actually had to pay a lawyer to write them a scary letter telling them to stop a few months ago. They don't repost threads from Ask MeFi anymore as far as I can tell, but they never responded to my emails so I have no idea if it was because of the letter or just coincidence.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 5:58 PM on February 11, 2008
So is Gawker more like the beefy football player who sat behind you in math class and looked at your exam over your shoulder so he could get a C- average and still play?
posted by backseatpilot at 6:51 PM on February 11, 2008 [2 favorites]
posted by backseatpilot at 6:51 PM on February 11, 2008 [2 favorites]
Well, really it's up to the individual commenter. Unless procrastination asks the consumerist to remove the comment, the consumerist doesn't have to do anything.
Is it lame, I think so, but again, it's up to the commenter not any "company"
I remember a couple of years ago when someone came up with a site called alterslash which simply culled all the best comments in slashdot threads and reposted them. In an interview Cmdr Taco and Hemos came up with all sorts of hair-brained reasons why they not only could go after the site owner by were required to. All of it was hagwash and especially hilarious given the fact that the site focused heavily on digital IP laws and privileges. They sounded exactly like the RIAA going on about "protecting artists" except it was 'commenters', not 'artists'.
posted by delmoi at 7:21 PM on February 11, 2008
Is it lame, I think so, but again, it's up to the commenter not any "company"
I remember a couple of years ago when someone came up with a site called alterslash which simply culled all the best comments in slashdot threads and reposted them. In an interview Cmdr Taco and Hemos came up with all sorts of hair-brained reasons why they not only could go after the site owner by were required to. All of it was hagwash and especially hilarious given the fact that the site focused heavily on digital IP laws and privileges. They sounded exactly like the RIAA going on about "protecting artists" except it was 'commenters', not 'artists'.
posted by delmoi at 7:21 PM on February 11, 2008
So is Gawker more like the beefy football player...
I'd go with the inexplicably popular with the painted on jeans he stole from his twelve year old sister and Klute-era Jane Fonda haircut who is neither as funny nor clever as he thinks he is, but aside from that, I believe your premise is sound.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:14 PM on February 11, 2008
I'd go with the inexplicably popular with the painted on jeans he stole from his twelve year old sister and Klute-era Jane Fonda haircut who is neither as funny nor clever as he thinks he is, but aside from that, I believe your premise is sound.
posted by Alvy Ampersand at 10:14 PM on February 11, 2008
Alterslash is fantastic. It's usually how I read Slashdot (if I read Slashdot).
posted by grouse at 12:05 AM on February 12, 2008
posted by grouse at 12:05 AM on February 12, 2008
That's what links are for!!
*Flashes on image of Elton John and Dionne Warwick singing this line. Shudders slightly*
posted by flapjax at midnite at 2:48 AM on February 12, 2008
*Flashes on image of Elton John and Dionne Warwick singing this line. Shudders slightly*
posted by flapjax at midnite at 2:48 AM on February 12, 2008
> Alterslash is fantastic. It's usually how I read Slashdot (if I read Slashdot).
Particularly since /. recently implemented that terrible navigation system... Gak!
posted by benzo8 at 4:27 AM on February 12, 2008
Particularly since /. recently implemented that terrible navigation system... Gak!
posted by benzo8 at 4:27 AM on February 12, 2008
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posted by mathowie (staff) at 3:30 PM on February 11, 2008