Self-publishing Media Should not be Allowed Act with Impunity

2019/01/25

Articles on WeChat, like for example articles calling for charitable donations that turn out to be fraudulent, this piece has been shown to be problematic. The problem lies in its reproduction of already published reports from traditional news outlets, including reports originally published by business news site Caixin. This reproduction has sparked allegations of plagiarism from one of the outlet's reporters. New industry regulations could help clarify a number of issues and provide a framework for the future development of self-publishing and traditional media alike. Those found guilty of plagiarism meanwhile should be punished severely, with the aim of protecting authors' and reporters' intellectual property rights, while establishing an environment that respects and values original reporting. All in all, the self-publshing media should not be allowed to operate outside the law, or bend the law to its advantage.

Source: Chinadaily