We’ve all seen it; someone who republishes an entire article on their Page because it is easier for their members to read. Today I saw yet another Page admin do it on Facebook. It’s not malicious, it’s just an attempt to help the fans/members.

While it does make it easier for the fans, it is also copyright infringement.

“But whom does it harm?” you ask. Try to imagine your hard work–work that you researched and then spent writing and rewriting–being shared in its entirety without your knowledge or permission. Then try to imagine all those ads on your website that do not have eyeballs to view because someone else stole your work and the traffic too.

While it appears that you could get away with it by posting a link to the original article, it is still not legal. Legally, you do not have permission to republish the content. Generally there is a licensing fee to republish content by other authors and this is a good option for anyone who needs to publish content for their fans or members.

An easier, less expensive and legal method is to share an excerpt from the article along with the link to the article. This excerpt should be a paragraph that invites your fans to read more by clicking the link to the original article.

Don’t forget to ask your fans for their opinion too, it will encourage your fans to come back to discuss it on your Page.