Are you in the Plagiarism Zone?!

I'm a passionate food blogger and I've spent thousands of dollars on equipment, locations, ingredients, tools and not to mention countless hours behind the camera and in photoshop to make nice photos. I've never charged money or made any money for my work. I'm a passionate Vegan and I simply like to share my creations to everyone for free.

So is it ok for others to steal your work and make money with it right here on Steemit!?

Well the answer to that would be a simple NO! 

It's illegal to use other peoples material without their consent, ESPECIALLY IF YOU'RE MAKING BANK and earning money with it! That will get you in to serious trouble and could get you a criminal record and cost you a truck load of money!!!

So I found this recipe today, hint hint @steemcleaners, it looked delicious and I asked the person out of interest if it was his recipe and photo. He replied that it wasn't his photo, but it was his recipe.

A quick search bought me to the owner of the recipe and the photo. I was lied too. Both the recipe and the photo were stolen.

I couldn't help think what I'd do if that was my work! I once had Wholefoods USA use one of my photos for their website. They'd used the photo and then asked me. Assuming I would say yeah sure because I mean duh they do have 1 million followers on Instagram, I still said no and asked them to take it down! Sure I would have said yes, but when you've already stole my work, then I don't care who you are, first you ask and I'll decide what I want to do.

The guy I was talking to this evening was obviously young and kinda laughed at me, and said that nobody is going to jail him for stealing a photo. He also went on to say that steemit claims all you need to do is write the source of the photo.

So I checked. I mean, hey, I can make the worlds best recipe book in just hours if all I need to do is write underneath where I stole the recipe and the photos from. That would be an easy way to make some serious money, heck I'd be writing copying recipes and making books all day!

For those few who steal and think it's ok beware as your footprints might be found in years from now!

Before you steal the hard work from someone else, take a minute to think why? Why do you deserve to earn the money? Answer yourself honestly like a grown man or woman would. The truth is there is no reason. But there are plenty of reasons why the owners of the work should sue you. More importantly to the young ones out there with a big smile wearing a 'I don't give a shit' shirt. You might not give a shit now, but what are you going to think when in 6 years from now, you've forgotten all about your steemit experience and a letter from a lawyer arrives in your mailbox with a fine. What are you going to think when they ask for $20k. Now you might not have a job, but in 6 years from now, you might be earning good, have grown up a little and see things in life quite differently. 

Don't let the past haunt you, so don't steal in the first place!

Guys it's awesome to use Steemit as a platform to express yourselves. I have quite a controversial name, I mean it has the word Vegan in it! Just the name already shall get me a lot of haters and a ton less views about what I have to say. But Steemit gives me the opportunity to be myself, and I encourage you all to be yourselves. It's fine to be hated by some and loved by others. But don't steal!

If you're genuinely interested in the topic you're blogging about make the recipe or make your own photos of the project your working on! They don't have to be professional, content usually trumps perfection in my opinion. 

Let me know if you agree or disagree and why below

If you liked my photos by the way (yes they're always mine) you're going to love my future recipes so if you're interested in healthy food whether you're vegan or not then hit the follow button. I don't preach Veganism, it's a fact that everyone has a choice, I really just like making plant based food and showing others how easy it is to make :)