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Blog Pirates

Update: NGM Planet has been shut down. The ngmen.net domain was sold on eBay for $.06 on May 23.

. . . or, as a friend with whom I shared the saga called it, “goon meets curmudgeon” (my friend shall remain nameless unless he wishes to name himself). In case you’re wondering, I’m the curmudgeon.

I was surprised yesterday to be one of several victims of content theft. It all began Sunday night when I posted Monday morning’s entry before going to bed. Since my post referenced a post at Between Two Worlds, I left a trackback there as well before turning in. That, my friends, is a big deal, because, as any blogger who watches stats and has ever had a link from that site knows, there is a Justin Taylor effect. That is, rather than the usual traffic, you will get approximately thirty-seven jillion hits. Taylor moderates his feedback, so I checked back in the morning to see if my trackback had been published. It had (I thought), but it looked . . different. So I clicked through.

To my dismay, I found my full post, image included, just like I expected to see it, but on a different site. (Check it for yourself. The only way you would ever know who the author was would be to click the “Previous/Next post” links at the bottom of the page (there is a blogroll-style list of “contributors” in the sidebar, also). Otherwise, the reader is left, intentionally or not, to assume that the site owner is the author of the post (the only exception being someone like Phil Johnson, who includes his name, along with multiple branded graphics, within each post). Consequently, my thirty-seven jillion hits are being hijacked by this aggregator site. Though the site owner claims to be “push[ing] viewers back to the original sites,” his URL (site address) has never, to my recollection, turned up in my stats.

So I shot off a polite, if annoyed, email:

To Whom It May Concern:

Last night (May 9) I posted an article on my site (Prayer for the Unknown on The Thirsty Theologian). I then posted a trackback at Justin Taylor’s blog, Between Two Worlds. Imagine my surprise when, this morning, I discovered not my trackback to my site, but one to NGM Planet where I found my full post and The Thirsty Theologian listed as a “contributor” in the sidebar. What is the meaning of this? I have no wish to judge your motives in this; I’m sure you mean nothing untoward. However, I must ask that you discontinue hijacking my content. If you wish, you are welcome to post short excerpts with links back to my site. That is a normally accepted practice.

Thank you,

David Kjos
The Thirsty Theologian

. . . and the following exchange ensued:

Mr Kjos:

If you would note on the about page (http://ngmen.net/?page_id=2), we do not "hijack" anyone's content, we aggregate and point to the originals for proper attribution of the authors. We do not collect comments/etc there, but push viewers back to the original sites for further discussion, etc.

Perhaps you are familiar with other "planet" sites (using either the FeedWordPress plugin we use or the python-based Planet tool (http://www.planetplanet.org/)) which also aggregate RSS feeds into one central source, linking back out to the originals for conversation, etc.

I will happily delink you from our aggregator if you prefer.

-Warren Myers

Mr, Myers:

Really, now, who do you think you're fooling? Surely, you must see that few people will ever find their way to the sites from whom you re-appropriate (to be kindly euphemistic) your content. Why would they? And what indication is there that they should? The plain fact is that I have never, to my knowledge, ever received any traffic from your site. No one who has read my work on NGM Planet knows who wrote it. I checked with another, much more popular blogger whose work you siphon, and he has never heard of NGM Planet. None of us are benefiting from your use of our content. As it now stands, your trackback at Between Two Worlds is depriving me of considerable traffic. The links you provide are inconspicuous and unnecessary to the reader. Each post is, to all appearances, original to your site.

De-linking me from your aggregator is not enough. Nothing short of a public statement giving credit where credit is due, and a cessation of current practices, will do. If you are, indeed, a follower of Christ, you will take this bit of correction and mend your ways.

David Kjos

Following that, wondering who this “Warren Myers” was, I investigated his personal blog. Searches for words like Jesus, gospel, grace, faith, and scripture produced little to indicate even a nominal religion, so maybe I was presumptuous in appealing to his conscience. Time passed, and I found myself happily de-linked from his aggregator. I expected no further communication, which was fine with me. But what followed later was not fine.

Mr Kjol,

The trackback you reference should not be pointing to ngmen.net - it should be going directly to "The Thirsty Theologian". I am unaware as to why it would show our aggregator rather than the original site - I am investigating that behavior with other blogs we aggregate to see if it does that with them as well. It should not, as you point out. (If you did click that link however, you would see that the "Next" and "Previous" links go straight to you, as it is merely importing data from the RSS feed made publicly-available from your blog. I presume you will also ask that people who follow your blog via RSS will cease, as that is also depriving you of traffic.)

We do have public statements indicating we do not write anything, but rather aggregate from other places. Kindly note the top of the page that reads "Christian blogs of interest" and, as already pointed-out in my previous email, our "About" page: http://ngmen.net/?page_id=2 -
"Welcome to NGM Planet, a service of ngmen.net.

This is an aggregation point for a variety of Christian blogs we’ve found to be of interest. If you would like you blog to be considered, please email the site admin at ngmen[at]ngmen[dot]net with your site’s name, your name, and we’ll review it.

Thanks for stopping by!

-the ngm team"
We are an aggregation point and nothing more. I am sorry this has upset you, as certainly that is not our goal.

I will have your syndication removed from our site shortly, and will no longer link others to it. There is nothing on our site which makes it look like we have written everything - if for no other reason than the volume per day of newly-syndicated entries going back to the original posters, along with, of course, the linked authors for each post and the RSS feed linking back to the original sites as well.

Again, I am sorry you are upset we are aggregating from your site. Have a good day.

Regards,
-Warren Myers

I can tolerate stupidity and, in its place, ignorance. But the intentionally obtuse are beyond excuse. At this point, I stop arguing. Psychoquacks call that passive-aggressive (a nonsensical term if ever there was one); I call it recognizing the difference between conversing with a human being and a brick wall. Of course I will not “also ask that people who follow [my] blog via RSS will cease.” They intentionally subscribed to my feed, and know who I am. The readers of NGM Planet may or may not. I say, most likely they do not; the previously-stated fact that I have received no resulting traffic ought to be proof enough of that.

I began the day without any assumption of unethical motives. Now, I am not so sure. I can’t imagine that the few ads on the aggregator site yield enough to make that the purpose of the site, but who knows? Or maybe he really just wants to share content he likes, but is too lazy or uncaring to do it right. Either way, it’s got to stop.

As I told Mr. Myers at the outset, if he wanted to post short excerpts with proper, conspicuous, credit and links to the source, that would be fine. We all do that; in fact, we hope others will do that for us. But to lift whole posts, removing the need to visit the source, and leaving it unlikely that anyone would ever be aware of the source, is theft. And to stubbornly continue when you are offered an ethical alternative exposes a willful disregard for anything but your own will. Don’t be that way; don’t do that. And if you do, don’t pretend to be a disciple of Christ.

Other “contributors” to NGM Planet are:

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12 Comments:

#1 || 10·05·11··08:10 || threegirldad

Gads. That really is pathetic.

#2 || 10·05·11··08:30 || John

As much as I'd like to think otherwise, the only purpose of sites like ngm planet are to make money, without any work. It's very simple using a WP plugin to create a site that takes other peoples work and then monetize it with Amazon and just collect whatever money is made.

The only expense involved is for hosting, and once the site is set up, there is no work involved.

People who do this aren't just "aggregrating", they are stealing. Your blog is copyright you, and other than a few lines for "fair use" no-one has the right to steal it and publish on their site.

#3 || 10·05·11··12:34 || David

Mr. Myers:

Your comment has been removed because I do not wish, and am under no obligation, to provide you with a platform to defend your reprehensible behavior. Should you repent and wish to make a public apology, I will gladly give you all the space you need for that purpose.

#4 || 10·05·11··12:35 || Warren

As an aside - did you bother to note I run more than one blog? One (warrenmyers.com/blog) for bible studies, songs, etc - and one (antipaucity.com) for personal interests? I separate content based on audience - antipaucity.com is aggregated to planettrilug.org while warrenmyers.com/blog is aggregated to ngmen.net

#5 || 10·05·11··12:37 || Warren

My Kjol - would you at least consider spelling my name correctly? You have misspelled it every time you have replied to me.

-Warren Myers

#6 || 10·05·11··12:48 || David

did you bother to note I run more than one blog?

So noted. Of course, that in no way corrects the situation at hand, does it?

My Kjol - would you at least consider spelling my name correctly? You have misspelled it every time you have replied to me.

Certainly, and my apologies.

—David Kjos

#7 || 10·05·11··12:53 || Daniel

That's one of the reasons why all the material on my blog is copyrighted. It is just easier that way.

#8 || 10·05·11··13:02 || David

Daniel,
Did you notice the copyright at the bottom of this page? I dare say all the material hijacked by NGM Planet bears such a notice.

#9 || 10·05·12··09:26 || Daniel

David, I hadn't noticed, though (were it I), the words copyright and infringement would have dominated pretty much every email exchange. People seem to respond better to a clear and obvious appeal to stop breaking the law.

#10 || 10·05·12··09:29 || mission-mama

I have been following this blog for some time and this is the first time I have came across something I don't feel comfortable allowing my family to read! I think the whole argument is silly and both sides need to drop the issue. Mr. Kjos, when reading most of your entries I usually feel inspired, uplifted, burdened to pray, etc. I feel that those emotions can not come solely from the writing of a man but through inspiration from God....therefore is He not the true author and creator? As for Mr. Myers "stealing" the material, I'm not up on copyright laws so I can not be a judge on that matter. However; if your inspired thoughts are being shared through his site and is able to have a positive impact on another person, is it not worth it? It would seem to me that you could put your animosity aside, leave the name calling and assumed or acknowledged accusations out of the public forum, and find a way to work together. If that is not possible then we should all just turn the other cheek and forgive each party as we know Christ can and will forgive us of our transgressions! I hope this site, as well as NGM will both return to a site I feel comfortable sharing with others (both Christian and Non) as a shinning example of Christian love, forgiveness, learning, and growth!

#11 || 10·05·12··10:59 || David

Daniel,
So noted, and filed away for future reference.

#12 || 10·05·12··11:00 || David

mission-mama,

I’m sorry this makes you uncomfortable, but this is an issue that must be confronted directly. Turning the other cheek is not to be confused with turning a blind eye to sin. And when sin is confronted privately, and correction is refused, it sometimes must then be exposed publicly.

Mr. Myers is indeed guilty of stealing, as defined by law. When one who professes faith in Christ sins, Scripture calls for confrontation and correction.

There is no “animosity” on my part, nor have I engaged in any “name calling.” I am eager to forgive Mr. Meyers, but I have not yet had that opportunity, as he has not repented and sought forgiveness.

As for “find[ing] a way to work together,” there really is no need. However, in my initial communication to Mr. Myers (reproduced above), I suggested the proper, legal, ethical, normally accepted method of sharing the work of others. He ignored that suggestion and stubbornly insisted that he has a right to do as he pleases, regardless of law or ethics. So it is not I that is uncooperative.

Finally, there are many practical reasons for maintaining control over my work. I will name only one: appearance of affiliation. When I am listed as a contributor on another site, it implies association and agreement with the other contributors. While there are some on that list with whom I would be pleased to be associated, there are others with whom I am not. I do not wish to be seen as giving tacit approval of those with whom I disagree. And it could be worse. Suppose I was on a list that included Catholics, Mormons, or Jehovah’s Witnesses? Suppose someone was led astray by the appearance of my approval? For that reason alone, it is quite right that I exercise absolute control over the publication of my work.

Now, I find myself in the odd position of correcting your complimentary words. I’m grateful for your appreciation, but I must make the following statement:

Any emotion, for better or worse, can be a reaction to purely human inspiration. It scares me, quite frankly, that anyone would automatically assume that emotions elicited by my words must be of God. Scripture itself, of which God truly is “the author and creator,” can be a cause of purely carnal emotions. How much truer is that of the words of a fallible man! My words, I hope, are the product of God’s sanctifying work in me, but never should they be considered “inspired.” God is not the “author and creator” of any of my words. And in saying that, I am not depriving God of any due credit, but rather declining to give him the blame for my imperfection. If you are edified by my work, I am glad, and hope you give God the glory. But please don’t call my work “inspired” or call God “the author and creator.”

Thanks for reading.

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