Is this Illegal?

[David]

I am creating a AdSense site around content. I am taking content from around the web, and it is not EXACTLY the same, but you could see the resemblances. And the layout of the page is the same basic layout as another PPC content site based around the same content, but not exactly. Is this ok?

[dtobias]

Sounds to me like you're taking the wrong attitude altogether if you think of your page as an "AdSense page", and are building it by cobbling together content you didn't create, basically stealing it from lots of places and trying to file off the serial numbers, so to speak. A more constructive thing is to actually start by attempting to build a useful Web site with original content of your own (which can be inspired by other sites, and get ideas and factual content from them, but not just lift whole sections verbatim), then let the Google AdSense and other affiliate ads follow naturally.

[David]

Originally Posted by dtobias

Sounds to me like you're taking the wrong attitude altogether if you think of your page as an "AdSense page", and are building it by cobbling together content you didn't create, basically stealing it from lots of places and trying to file off the serial numbers, so to speak. A more constructive thing is to actually start by attempting to build a useful Web site with original content of your own (which can be inspired by other sites, and get ideas and factual content from them, but not just lift whole sections verbatim), then let the Google AdSense and other affiliate ads follow naturally.

It's a moral judgement, but I'm in it for the buck. And by no way is the site a scraper quickly going to be thrown together, there is going to be elaborat information on it.

[nameslave]

Yes, it sounds like old school, but websites should be built with REAL content and not artificial content with seemingly useful but actually useless word combinations. But we also have to face the reality that the Internet is now filled with all kinds of parking pages pretending to be content-rich and tricking people into clicking in order to make money. What a shame! For someone who LOVES browsing the web (even as a hobby), this is really sad.

But the bottom line of Dave's question is that you canNOT just take content "from around the web". In "academia", this is called plagiarism; in the real world, it's copyright infringement, and you could be brought to the court.

If you really need some relevant and good content, you may want to try out some "open content" projects like Wikipedia, which allows you to use their content with due credits. Hope this helps.

[David]

Originally Posted by nameslave

Yes, it sounds like old school, but websites should be built with REAL content and not artificial content with seemingly useful but actually useless word combinations. But we also have to face the reality that the Internet is now filled with all kinds of parking pages pretending to be content-rich and tricking people into clicking in order to make money. What a shame! For someone who LOVES browsing the web (even as a hobby), this is really sad.

But the bottom line of Dave's question is that you canNOT just take content "from around the web". In "academia", this is called plagiarism; in the real world, it's copyright infringement, and you could be brought to the court.

If you really need some relevant and good content, you may want to try out some "open content" projects like Wikipedia, which allows you to use their content with due credits. Hope this helps.

As do I like the web, and everyone here has some sort of passion for it, or we wouldn't be here. The content isn't quite the problem persay as the design. And I don't think the content will be useless. It is going to provide information with links that I happen to get paid to produce for the end-user. Most of the links are links that I may have put on a website if I was not into PPC. I am using the same basic layout/design as the other person, well I havn't put it up yet, but that is what I am worried about and I basically took some good SEO stuff from his/her site and such, the content bears no infringment, but I am a little concerned about the layout. Concerned is a tough word to use, since I am not even remotly close to the level as the other person, so I'd be shocked if they even noticed the design change. But it is such a good SEO design that I almost couldn't mock it as much as possible. And it is tricky to the user, they may not be fully aware that it is an advertisement because of placement and such, but it is stated that they are ads and I do nothing to make them think otherwise(except place them in good places.) Im rambling, anyways design mocking of a very generic website is not a problem I am guessing, correct? After all, it is all my code.

[ParkQuick.com]

If you include content that is in your own words (or in the public domain), then what you are suggesting is not illegal in the U.S. or probably in most other countries. If you use substantial portions of other people's words or ideas you should give them credit.

Giving people good content and good targeted PPC links is giving them what they are looking for in a way that may also pay off for you.

[David]

Exactly.

[namedropper]

Just from the sounds of things you coudl run into problems on text, design or both, as you freely admit that it's based off someone else's. Lacking a good grasp of the ins and outs of copyrights and adding in a laziness that prevents coming up with new material it's likely you'll mess up and infringe someone's copyright somewhere.

[David]

Originally Posted by namedropper

Just from the sounds of things you coudl run into problems on text, design or both, as you freely admit that it's based off someone else's. Lacking a good grasp of the ins and outs of copyrights and adding in a laziness that prevents coming up with new material it's likely you'll mess up and infringe someone's copyright somewhere.

You obviously didn't read. The reason for me basing my design on a design of someone else's (which is a very primitive design I may add.) Is because of the way it presents the ads, and it's good SERPs. Not a lack of laziness. And most of the information I have actually copy+pasted was from a government website. I had printed out pages from private companies and sources and simple put it into my own words. With the material I am dealing with, there is no opinion, it's all factual information, so it's not as if I am taking someones academic work or analysis of an issue.

[namedropper]

No, I read it. Don't assume that because you disagree with me that I don't understand.

"Not a lack of laziness" was an amusing comment though. So you admit that you are plenty lazy?

[David]

Originally Posted by namedropper

No, I read it. Don't assume that because you disagree with me that I don't understand.

"Not a lack of laziness" was an amusing comment though. So you admit that you are plenty lazy?

Way to read into it way to much. You get the point.