Most
bloggers invite you to share their content far and wide on any one of
many aggregation sites. But some people get really upset if you post
that article on your own aggregation blog (even with full credit and back links).
I am always amazed when I get that proverbial chest pumping
quasi-barrister “cease and desist” letter, followed by remedial
citation of copyright law, and always ending with some pathetic
accusation of irreparable damages and criminal violation. They get
upset if you change the content and they get upset if you don’t. The
worst is when it comes from a self-proclaimed social media guru who
touts the social media Cool Aid in their consultancy propaganda.
Reality Check:
1. Ummm…nobody is an island in SM, you get the ideas from someone else.
2. If you are pissed off – this means that you have nothing else to offer.
3. Social media is a conversation – you have no claim to my response.
4. So you think you are better than Wikipedia?
5. Maybe your content is not so great – just convenient.
6. Your feed is public, your content is public.
7. If you’re not giving it away – lock it up.
8. Implied Copyright? Go ahead, sue someone.
Regarding our own content, If I feel that I earned the right to
request that my loyal readers expend their valuable time to “share” my
stuff across their hard earned social networks ( TWT, MS, FB, LI), then
I have no right to tell them how to share it. They have the right,
without the obligation, to share whatever, wherever, and however they
want (with full credit and back links, of course).
To those who participate with others in this great journey – we will
bend over backwards to help you along in any way we can now or any time
in the future. Give us a call next time you’re in Seattle. Need a
contact or referral in LI? A Book review? PR shout out? Let us know,
we’re on your team. Thank you.
David Meerman Scott says provides qualified research that
demonstrates how authors that offer free downloads of their whitepapers
and books (with the minimum of barriers), enjoy readership success
increases several orders of magnitude over restricted content.
The moral of this story is give, give, give, and the magic of social
media will return your royalties- otherwise, thanks for the C&D
letter – now I can delete you from my blog, social network, and
corporate referral list – with full credit and back links, of course.
By the way, our research would cost millions to reproduce – all of it is committed to the public domain through Creative Commons. Go ahead, take it – it’s yours (apply full credit and back links, of course).
Picture credit