During the Pet Boarding fiasco, Maslinda informed me that photos were just being uplifted from my blog and published in mainstream newspapers. I did not receive any letter or phonecall or whatever, asking permission if the photos could be used. Some of the photos were taken by Maslinda and I credit her in my blog, but when published in these mainstream newspapers and online newspapers, no credit was given.
Then, yesterday, someone, out of good faith, informed me that my photograph with Indy (the one that appeared in The Star) was published in a children's magazine. Huh? Again? So I wrote to the magazine editor to enquire, ie. Why did you publish my photograph without asking me or at least, telling me that you'll be using it and what it would be used for? Could you please send me the article so that at least I would know what and why my photo was published (and I'm speaking for Indy too, of course). The editor said that photograph already belongs to the newspapers' library of photos and can be used. Granted, fine if there is indeed such a law, but surely it isn't too much to ask to be informed? Even if I have no right to object, surely I can be informed? Does this also mean they can now use my photograph anywhere they like, as and when they like? It doesn't sound right to me, but nowadays, many things don't sound right to me.
And the story doesn't end there....today, someone, out of good faith, sent me this:
http://thumbnails.thestar.com.my/view.asp?id=8655
Apparently, Cow's Fish Pose is in the newspapers today, and again, there is no credit to where the photo is taken from. Granted, the lady who sent it informed me yesterday that she had sent in a few photos from my blog, but that was just yesterday. And I did not know she would not even acknowledge the source of the photograph.
Please...
1. Ask.
2. Give credit to the source.
That's all.
May I now request, please, that if anyone wants to use the photographs from my blog or my books, could you please ask me first? And when you use it, could you please credit the source? I do not want to be slammed for plagiarism. I could be sued.
This photograph of Cow is in my book, Pawprints on My Heart. What happens when I reprint this book in future and someone says, "Hey, Kah Yein took this photo from the newspapers, I remember, but it belongs to someone else!".
What happened sometime ago was that as a public speaker, I was asked for my powerpoint presentation, which I reluctantly gave, because it was asked by a friend. A year later, I gave the same presentation and a member of the audience came up to me to ask if I had plagiarised (copied) someone else's presentation. I said no, this is mine, I prepared it myself. Then, the person told me she had seen the same slides given by this friend (whom I remembered had taken my slides) at a corporate training where fees were charged. He even put his name on the set of slides. I was appalled.
Which brings to mind when I attended a course five years ago. We were told to share our powerpoints with our classmates and I said no. I said everyone should at least make the effort to prepare our own materials. The coordinator then called me "bloody selfish" for not sharing. I don't think it's me being (bloody) selfish for not sharing. It's some classmates being (bloody) lazy for not doing their own work.
There was also a case of me writing an email out to a group, and somebody found it good, copied my email (in my words), deleted my name, signed her name and sent it out as though it was from her! I cannot comprehend the mentality of people who do such things, can you? Have they no shame?
Many people do not know that it is basic courtesy to RESPECT intellectual property, that one should not take other people's work and use it, or worse, claim it to be theirs. Or, being plain lazy, one does not do one's own work, but copy others' and use it.
Our education system has truly failed in teaching us basic courtesy, respect, good manners and hard work.
Now, that is sad.
But let's get back to our animal stories now....
UPDATES at 3pm:
I'm touched that quite a number of the readers here have reported to the newspapers about this matter - thank you very much for doing that. I think this lady did it out of ignorance of copyright laws and respect for intellectual property.
I thought people would, at the very least, acknowledge the source, especially when submitting something to the public media.
So, here we go now....
If you'd like to share any posts from this blog, please acknowledge the source, or send it out as a link. Sharing is good and I truly appreciate it very much, but just do it properly, because I also don't want to be accused of plagiarising my own work (!) when I see it published under someone else's name! It has happened before....but these kinds of things only happen in Malaysia Boleh? Semua boleh? Apa pun boleh?
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