There used to be accounts from the old blockchain that just copy pastes content from other profiles off the platform and monetizing the works. You're right about this practice not being new especially on Instagram. The thing is, independent artists trying to get some visibility and chasing the goal of being able to monetize their works can't compete with accounts that can grab content from different places and use that to attract more eyes as the algorithm favors creators that pump out content frequently vs users that can draw hours and produce every other day on average.

Now the copycat accounts get their visibility and can now negotiate for ad space with their acquired followers. It's like someone using the works of others for free and then having the audacity to charge you space. Those business models can't survive here because value is being given to artists who are legit and working on their content. The monetary element changes how social rewards are being distributed.

I assume you've never used your time to hunt accounts that are just built to milk the system as efficient as possible, verify authors cross platforms for plagiarism and ID theft? Got any experience introducing Hive to someone with an opening spiel that "Hey I saw you post on Hive and just wanted to know if it's really you there? and be replied by "I don't know Hive and that person isn't me"

I just have to tell them what Hive is and market it as the platform that their content is being used and monetized on by strangers. Most of the content on this post is just a "feel good" content that appeals to people that aren't actively doing the hunting. The truth is, once you find a plagiarist, some quit while others make new accounts and the cycle is just becoming a whack a mole problem. Most can't be bothered to be in this process because it's a complete waste of time.

Give some irresponsible stakeholders an applause for being enablers because their phat ass stake makes the zeroing more problematic. As far as I can tell, most commenters about downvoters are just people not really doing active work on hunting shitty users that copy paste, do ID theft, spread a scam or phising links.

Also please make a mental note not to lump individual downvotes as part of the hivewatchers policing. People can make their own calls on how they would use the downvotes and not be affiliated to Hivewatchers.

I wouldn't mind having my illustrations reposted by another user on facebook without giving me due credit but if they got paid for it then they are crossing the line especially when I specially put a no repost/no monetizing sign for the works I share across social media space. Of course there's little way I can enforce copyright rules if they actually post my stuff on Blurt for example, but they are going to be downvoted if they reposted it here without my permission.

People can still post on Steem or Blurt if they don't want a downvote environment. Their "financial rewards" are secured there.

EDIT:
Some curators vote because they believe you made the content and if it was co-authored or edited by someone, it wouldn't hurt to acknowledge you hired help. But frankly, I don't think people using their stake would go full 100% vote weight on ghost written work if they knew about it.

But isn't this the purpose of ghostwriters? I agree. Just don't get caught doing it otherwise supporters just felt cheated on from the misdirection.