why linda ikeji blog was shut down-Google

Over the weekend, Linda Ikeji was accused by
a number of people of constantly plagiarizing
and lifting articles from websites without
giving credit to original sources. As a result,
the blog was shut down yesterday.The action has since sparked lots of
controversies as many of her fans took to the
various social media pages to lament and
blame ‘witches’ and ‘haters’ for the tragedy.
Clearing the air on the misconception,
Google’s Manager for Communications and
Public Affairs, Anglo-Phone West Africa, Taiwo
Kolade-Ogunlade, in a chat with Punch
newspaper, explained why the blog was taken
down.
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 comes to the
issues of copyright infringement.
“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.
“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.
-Dailypost