agog as tech giant, Google shut down the
blog of celebrated blogger, Linda Ikeji,
following widespread allegations of
copyright infringement and plagiarism
levelled against her.
It all began a few days back when one Mr.
Aye Dee, Editor-in-Chief of United States-
based 15Past8 media group, reported Linda
Ikeji to Google, accusing her of copyright
infringement.
"Google just notified us that they are
removing our copyrighted content from
Linda Ikeji's website. All the stories and
images Linda Ikeji took from me without
permission in the last few days have been
removed from her site by Google. Someone
has to say something. It costs money to get
good work done. I spend time getting
information from my sources, as well as
analysing and verifying the information. All
that costs money. I don't mind donating my
time for Nigeria's sake, but for someone to
take my labour and use it for personal
profit, no way!" Aye Dee had tweeted.
In a chat with the Punch, Google's Manager
for Communications and Public Affairs,
Anglo-Phone West Africa, Taiwo Kolade-
Ogunlade, explained why the blog was
taken down and cleared the air on the
misconceptions of 'Witch-craft" and
"Enemies of progress" belief.
He said Google takes the issue of copyright
seriously, adding that the company belongs
to a group of Internet firms that abides by
the provisions of the Digital Millennium
Copyright Act and other applicable
copyright laws.
"To respect the rights of copyright holders,
Google clearly spells out how users of its
products and services can get permission to
use someone else's intellectual property
such as text, songs, images and footages.
Google is no respecter of anybody when it
came to the issues of copyright
infringement, copyright is a big deal.
"Google as an organisation takes issues of
copyright seriously and belongs to a group
of digital companies that respect copyrights.
"Copyright is a big deal and this is why you
can't just go and pick up another person's
intellectual property or content and lay
claim to its ownership.
"That is why we have copyright guidance. I
don't know if Linda picked up any content
and I don't know what content is the bone
of contention-neither have I looked into the
complaints personally.
"But it is not a case of witch-hunting and
has nothing to do with Linda Ikeji's
personality or anyone else because there is
a process, and irrespective of who you are
in the world, that process would apply to
you.
"It has become imperative for online
entrepreneurs to respect the rights of
copyright holders noting that the Internet
community should be built on mutual trust
and general respect.
"Let's respect other people's rights and
intellectual property. Making money off
other people's content without permission
is wrong. Although the Internet is
inanimate, it is the content on it that gives
it life. These are the issues.
"Whenever owners of online contents come
after you accusing you of using their
content, it is because they have families to
feed and businesses to sustain.
"People should also understand that
copyrights does not only apply to text, but
also extends to literary works, images and
photographs, music files and MP3s, movies,
movie trailers and videos as well as
software," Kolade-Ogunlade explained.
.