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Think you won’t get into trouble for plagiarizing an assignment in school or in the work force? Think again.
People are slamming down against those caught plagiarizing… even if it was by accident. Stealing someone else’s words is a crime in the journalism world and many employers and teachers are no longer turning a blind eye. There are many legal effects when someone is caught red-handed plagiarizing.
Plagiarism basically means you’re taking someone else’s thoughts, information and opinions and claiming them as your own. You’re pretty much stealing someone else’s words. Stealing is a crime… even if it is just words. Whether it’s done on purpose or unintentionally there will always be effects to stealing another person’s words. In the work force, this will cost you your job.
Legal Fallout
While many people think they’ll just get a slap on the wrist, this isn’t always the case. Because you could be violating copyright laws, there could be legal problems that go along with plagiarizing. While plagiarism isn’t a crime, copyright infringement is. With copyright infringement, a person can file a lawsuit against you if you made money off of that particular article or even photograph. The legal fallout will vary by the situation and the other person.
Stop the bad Habit
With plagiarism many people think they will get away with it since they haven’t been caught yet. This can lead to a dishonest and horrible cycle of getting credit for something that doesn’t belong to you.
If you’re looking to work in Journalism or are a working writer, you will have a very difficult time finding work once you have been caught plagiarizing. While it’s not a legal crime, in the journalism world it is a crime that many employers take very seriously.