Great post…I couldn’t agree more.

At AssistU we finally created a formal IP policy that spelled out what people could use freely, what they could never use, and what they had to request a license for. Since that time, we’ve had no challenges or misunderstandings at all within the AssistU community.

The more global VA community, OTOH, is another issue. I’d been advised by our attorney that we should confront individuals who were using our stuff without permission, and use the language, “…you’ve stolen our intellectual property.” The overwhelming response I received from people was indignant–none of them believed they’d stolen anything.

Through dealing with a particularly heinous bought of infringement, I learned that many couldn’t understand the “stealing” piece, but if I used the word “plagiarism” it woke some sleeping beast inside them (shades of some long-forgotten English teacher, I imagine!), and they immediately got my point, and could see the wrongness in what they’d done.

So maybe the way we deal with this particular challenge is to continue to protect our rights, while trying to educate those who infringe them. Although it’s difficult to understand how someone could use IP verbatim and not understand that it’s inappropriate, unacceptable, and illegal, the reality is that many genuinely don’t.

Thanks for doing such a great blog–keep up the good work!
Stacy