ottawa foodies

Delightful foodie people of the interwebs, I have a question for you, particularly if you read food blogs:

Do you find it a turn-off if the blogger does not properly credit images or recipes? We've talked about this before, in the context of users on this site watermarking images so that they're more difficult to use elsewhere. I was reading Ron Eade's blog this morning and came across this:

communities.canada.com

My personal issues with Ron aside, does anyone know if he's involved with SeaChoice? Otherwise, do you it's okay for him to watermark the images of the SeaChoice guide to seafood and call the Omnivore Ottawa/SeaChoice Guide?

My concern for plagarism and crediting photos of late comes from this design blog, Frolic (www.frolic-blog.com). I don't mean to only draw attention to Ron's blog from earlier, but rather to ask in a more broad sense: Do you fine folk lose respect for bloggers when they repost recipes/photos without giving credit? Or, do you think it's par for the course?

(Let the thumbs down....begin!)

You do not have to look long on the Seachoice website to find that they encourage people to reprint their guides. They do not give the terms and conditions of doing so - they say to email them. For all we know Mr Eade's did exactly that, and is reusing them under those terms and conditions.

Fair enough.

Although like I said, I'm curious about people's thought on this more generally, not just pertaining to the use of the SeaChoice guide by Ron, which may be within the terms and conditions.

Seeing the guide branded on his website as the "Omnivore's Ottawa/SeaChoice Guide", (he uses this phrase three times) however, makes me wonder if he does have an arrangement and if not, if he should be doing that. It would be like me taking something that is licensed for public use and branding it as a partnership between be and that organization, even if no such relationship existed.

Ultimately, what I'm getting at is the question of how transparent blogs need to be.

Blogging should not be confused with journalism.

If blogs became transparent, the internet would implode.

Well, I certainly disagree with witchypoo. I think that people should have the same standards - i.e. the law. Photos should only be used with permission, and under the terms and conditions of that permission.

It's a turn-off for me if bloggers don't credit content they have taken from other sources. I agree with zy on this one - bloggers should have the same legal standards as journalists. I also believe in giving credit where credit is due. Just my two cents...

LWB - You just given me (yet) another reason to hate most blogs.

I see it as a bit of a cheeky move on Ron's part to increase page hits should anyone grab the image of the guide from his blog and post it elsewhere. It's a turn off but not a crime.

To my knowledge you cannot copyright a list of ingredients - or an idea for that matter. A substantial description or set of instructions and explanations can be subject to copyright.

Hatman is right, but I go to pains to say "adapted from _____" even when I pass a typewritten recipe on to a friend.

I always credit photos and put a notation from where any quoted text came from.
Same for photos that are not mine.
Maybe that is because I had to do that so much in university with essays?

I actually had an ad agency in Toronto "steal" some of my text about a restaurant I wrote about and not credit it on their website.
Emailed them about it and they said they would add my name to the writing...and never did.
Anyway,I doubt that place is in business now as they were lame,lol.

Also, on my blog I always write if I was sent a product or if it is a sample I am reviewing. And make a not if it is a product I purchased myself (food or cosmetics that is).

Hopefully that is being thorough enough!

If I do print/post a recipe I mention where the original came from and if I made any changes.
I haven't really posted any recipes yet,but will follow that when I do.