We all love to share with our fellow Netizens and when we run across something especially poignant, an interesting news article, or a great photograph, we just want to post it so all our friends can revel in it too. We get a sense of belonging and of being seen as a generous and giving person. It would be awful if anyone knew that article, picture or interesting prose was actually stolen from some unsuspecting, starving artist somewhere in the ether. It’s not like we conspired to pilfer someone else’s work. We might even mention their name as the author or artist. But the fact is, taking it without permission is just like swiping that candy bar from the corner store when we were kids. Just like taking anything that doesn’t belong to us, it’s just… well, like stealing.

It may seem such a harsh accusation when we are only talking about a little picture, or an article found while surfing that someone posted for everyone to see. But (more…)