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Plagiarism & Uploaded Worlds

Stw402Stw402 Posts: 772 New Member
I wanted to make a thread about this, due to comments being made over on another thread about this subject.

Please be aware I don't wish to start a big augments about the rights and wrongs of this subject, everybody be chilled and have drink before reading, this is copy of the last thread taken from the other thread:-
I've just finished Speaking with a EA rep over this matter on live chat, I've uploaded a copy of the chat here:-
Part 1
http://www.mediafire.com/view/?5bcgkikpbniy1un

Part 2
http://www.mediafire.com/view/?s5ehh4ueiesj28m

Basically if you don't wish to view the chat yourself this is the important part of the live chat:-

Does this mean that it is ok to upload other people assists to the SIms 3 exchange service without permission, can you still report them assist for plagiarism?

We have separate department for this. But I will give you brief of this. Yes, you can use someone contents that are shared on exchanges but the rights is only within Sims. You cannot use outside without permission of the contents owner.

If someone misuse your contents, you can report it.

If you want to contact our concerned support for this terms of services, please contact our PR http://info.ea.com


I hope this clears up the problem, if it's on the exchange you can have a free reign anywhere else, then it's plagiarism.

I hope this will help you decide what you wish to do with your own finished world, many thanks for taking the time to read this thread.

Comments

  • itsaprilXDitsaprilXD Posts: 642 Member
    edited March 2013
    It... kind of seems like you're telling people not to upload their worlds, just so someone doesn't go and re-upload it and claim it as their own?


    Just my interpretation on this - don't go and have a go at me for it, it just seems like that from my perspective. :/
  • Writin_RegWritin_Reg Posts: 28,907 Member
    edited March 2013
    The fact of the matter was the creator of the world NEVER uploaded the world to the exchange. They were not ready to yet. It was loaded to the simmers media fire account to share while the creator finished it - only life called the creator away and seems people who didn't create the world decided the world should be shared by everyone when the creator of the world did not come back in the amount of time they apparently thought he should have, but had in fact removed his content even from media fire while he had to be away.

    But someone who still had the media fire download took it upon themselves to first put their file on media fire to share with others - with no permission from the crreator. As if that was not enough, they decided to first update this persons work, and then published this work on the exchange. And not in the creators name but in their own name.

    The person who published this world was cited the EULA gave anybody the right. Overlooking the fact this work was never published anywhere on this site and therefore not subject to the eula seeing technically it was never published on the exchange until a simmer felt it was their right to share work with the world that was at one time shared with her.

    As the rep said if it was on the exchange - that was one thing - but it was not on the exchange until some user put it there. Their excuse was if someone asked she told them she did not create it, but on the exchange no where is that mentioned and the 1200 downloads show the world with this simmers name on it as creator.

    So somehow when several of us stepped up to the plate and protested these people sharing this man's creation from a copy he shared with them ONLY on media fire, and had later removed the work - so they share an unpublished copy of privately shared world in progress, and they got creadit for it being theirs on the exchange. STW says they were in the right when it is clear he was not seeing it was not put on the exchange to be shared with everyone by the creator period.

    So we who defended the creator told the others they need to remove the world from the exchange, and got in to a virtual screamfest with everyone calling us self righteous pigs more or less, and that we should butt out and mind our own business - basically. They acted as if we were the villians putting a damper on their fun and felt they had the right to use the world because the creator had once temporarily shared the work on media fire as all creators do when they are testing their worlds so people can report if there are any problems with the worlds - the creators do not expect we will take these test versions and choose to publish them some time later down the line because the users claim the creatoir intended on publishing it or he wouldn't have shared it. DUH!!! I try hundreds of media file shared worlds in progress when I am testing worlds for creators, and not once have I ever said well it's been long enough - I guess I will publish this file for the creator. REALLY? This sound right to any of you creators out there? We defend the creator and we are the bad guys because - well gee we believe the work belongs to the creator until the creator officially shares it on the exchange and we are self rightous busy bodies? REALLY?

    Say what you will, I will continue to stand by every creators creations and will rally the people here who just happen to have ethics and respect for all the "creators" work and will not let what I veiw as thievery go quietly into the night. I will speak up - as the only persons name that should be on a creation on the exchange should be the name of the person who created it - period. No excuses.
    Post edited by Unknown User on

    "Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.

    In dreams - I LIVE!
    In REALITY, I simply exist.....

  • Stw402Stw402 Posts: 772 New Member
    edited March 2013
    I just wanted to find the truth in this matter, the world in question, if it never got uploaded to the exchange, then It was wrong to be uploaded to the exchange, it seems to be black and white.

    I'm sorry if any offence was caused I wish you all the luck in the future, I will be leaving this forum after this thread, I've found the truth and that's what I wanted. My position in the forum as been compromised over this matter I don't believe I can be active in the forum after this, so goodbye!



  • Sneakfeline0Sneakfeline0 Posts: 1,235 Member
    edited March 2013


    Wow, I haven't been on much lately, seems I've missed quite a bit. I haven't read or found the thread yet, but don't leave the forum STW. It appears you didn't know the world had not been uploaded to the exchange. You have given us a lot of things to play with, and I for one appreciate it! I will try to find the thread to get more insight, but I can't believe it was bad enough to make you leave...

  • Writin_RegWritin_Reg Posts: 28,907 Member
    edited March 2013
    It's the Hogwarts thread by Vssdgames Sneakfeline.

    "Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.

    In dreams - I LIVE!
    In REALITY, I simply exist.....

  • tjstreaktjstreak Posts: 808 Member
    edited March 2013
    There are two types of conduct, and they should probably be viewed and treated separately:

    Scenario 1: Someone else takes a creation made by someone else, and claims it as his own.

    This is classic plagarism. In fact, the plagarism is not in the uploading, but claiming credit for someone else's work.

    Plagarism, itself is a big issue in some communities, but not necessarily in others. For example, it is a big deal in academia, and it can get students expelled. It is also a big deal in journalism, as Fareed Zakaria learned recently.

    In other fields, it's not such a big deal. For example, in law, it is not at all uncommon for lawyers to copy the briefs, documents and forms drafted by other lawyers, in whole or in part. No one thinks much about it.

    Likewise in medicine, if someone develops a new procedure, other doctors are going to use that procedure if it provides for better outcomes. I am sure that no one would want to hear from their doctor, "I could use procedure A, which would give you a 99.99% chance of survivial, but I won't because the doctor who created this procedure doesn't want other people to use it. Instead, I will do procedure B, which only gives you a 25% chance of survivial." Before you go into the operating room, a doctor, typically, does not give you a a list of credits.

    Scenario 2: Someone uploads an item made by someone else and gives full credit.

    Now, I don't know why anyone would do this. It strikes me as being rather dumb.

    But it is typical fanboy/fangirl behavior. (God save us from the fanboys!) The fanboy/fangirl has such respect for their idol that they want to spread his work far and wide and promote it at every opportunity.

    Although this type of behavior can be rather irritating, it is pretty harmless.

    A creator of custom content for the sims, whether it be an outfit, a house, or a world really does not have any claim to their work. As the creator of the game, EA really holds the rights to everything. This includes derivative works. That is copyright law 101.

    The EULA is basically an exception to EA's rights under copyright law. If you create content for the sims, you are not violating EA's copyrights so long as you upload those works to the exchange under the terms of the EULA.

    But any other use of EA's intellectual property is an unlawful infringement on EA's copyrights. Now some of the sim gurus might try to tell us something different, but you can be pretty sure that EA's legal team would beg to differ.
  • Illyianna2005Illyianna2005 Posts: 895 Member
    edited March 2013
    I don't feel your position has been compromised Stw, and I still hold the same respect for you as I always have.I apperciate that you took the extra step to get to the heart of the matter an find the truth. Please don't leave the Forum, sometimes people have disagreements, we would not be human if we didn't but it's not a reason to leave.
  • danacnbrettdanacnbrett Posts: 102 Member
    edited March 2013
    You didn't do anything wrong Stw. If some people give you a hard time because they don't agree with the facts you posted, just try to shrug it off and ignore them. EA's terms clearly state that users may freely do what they want with others creations as long as it is used within the Sims game. Some people may think this is wrong and others may not. Whether they are wrong or right is a matter of one's ethics. Ethics is not black or white like some people think ("The road to Hell is paved with good intentions").

    I think what people have to remember is that this is just a game. No one is profiting from this financially (except EA) and if someone does take someone's world and re-uploads it or alters it they should remember that the person doing so is just trying to play their game the way they want to play it. As for claiming someone else's work as your own, I think we can all agree that that is wrong.

    Remember everyone. It's just a game! It's not your means to financially support yourself. Just relax and enjoy.
  • tjstreaktjstreak Posts: 808 Member
    edited March 2013
    Writin_Reg wrote:
    So we who defended the creator told the others they need to remove the world from the exchange, and got in to a virtual screamfest with everyone calling us self righteous pigs more or less, and that we should butt out and mind our own business - basically.

    And they were basically correct. You really lack "standing," so to speak, to insist that something be removed from the Exchange, because you were not the "injured party." The only person who apparently was injured was the creator of the world, and he did not even seem to be aware that the world had been uploaded to the Exchange.

    From time to time, I have made items which appear in other people's worlds. Occasionally I might recieve an e-mail, the gist of which is "So and so just uploaded a video on You-Tube showing your World Trade Center and claiming it as his own." My response is "I don't give a ____"

    But this really ignores the elephant in the room. Your see, Hogwarts and ANYTHING dealing with Harry Potter is the intellectual property of J. K. Rowling. Anyone who makes a Hogwarts world, a Harry Potter Sim, or anything from this books is clearly infringing on her copyrights. The only way anything related to Harry Potter can be legally uploaded anywhere is to get Rowling's permission, which would probably require the payment of a pretty hefty royalty.

    This is the real reason EA should remove a world like this from the Exchange. Of course, EA enjoys some legal protections under the safe harbor provisions of the Digital Millenium Copyright Act. But if Rowling wanted to make a fuss about it, she or her representatives could file a notice to EA under the DMCA, and the item would be removed very quickly.

    In fact, this would appear to be the solution to a lot of these plagarism problems: the creator sends the requisite DMCA notice to EA, Mediafire or whomever is hosting the item. As a CYA measure, the hosting party will then remove the item, and perhaps even ban the uploading party.

    This is the quick and quiet way of dealing with these problems. It is certainly a lot more effective than running around like a chicken with its head cut off and raising a fuss on the forums.
  • Writin_RegWritin_Reg Posts: 28,907 Member
    edited March 2013
    EA already owns - the digital/gaming rights to the full Harry Potter Series. You should have researched it TJ and you would have known that.


    "Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.

    In dreams - I LIVE!
    In REALITY, I simply exist.....

  • juncedajunceda Posts: 2,614 Member
    edited March 2013
    All the thing is geting off the point. We are not talking about crime. Of course this is a game but we are a community of players and we trust in being respectfull to oneanother, If you play chess and make tricky you donn´t go to jail but you should leave the game, or at least I do think this way.
    firma_zps7hsuhx2i.png

    I can play at last TS2 TS3 and TS4 So great that toddlers are here!!!
  • Writin_RegWritin_Reg Posts: 28,907 Member
    edited March 2013
    tjstreak wrote:
    Writin_Reg wrote:
    So we who defended the creator told the others they need to remove the world from the exchange, and got in to a virtual screamfest with everyone calling us self righteous pigs more or less, and that we should butt out and mind our own business - basically.

    And they were basically correct. You really lack "standing," so to speak, to insist that something be removed from the Exchange, because you were not the "injured party." The only person who apparently was injured was the creator of the world, and he did not even seem to be aware that the world had been uploaded to the Exchange.

    From time to time, I have made items which appear in other people's worlds. Occasionally I might recieve an e-mail, the gist of which is "So and so just uploaded a video on You-Tube showing your World Trade Center and claiming it as his own." My response is "I don't give a ____"

    But this really ignores the elephant in the room. Your see, Hogwarts and ANYTHING dealing with Harry Potter is the intellectual property of J. K. Rowling. Anyone who makes a Hogwarts world, a Harry Potter Sim, or anything from this books is clearly infringing on her copyrights. The only way anything related to Harry Potter can be legally uploaded anywhere is to get Rowling's permission, which would probably require the payment of a pretty hefty royalty.

    This is the real reason EA should remove a world like this from the Exchange. Of course, EA enjoys some legal protections under the safe harbor provisions of the Digital Millenium Copyright Act. But if Rowling wanted to make a fuss about it, she or her representatives could file a notice to EA under the DMCA, and the item would be removed very quickly.

    In fact, this would appear to be the solution to a lot of these plagarism problems: the creator sends the requisite DMCA notice to EA, Mediafire or whomever is hosting the item. As a CYA measure, the hosting party will then remove the item, and perhaps even ban the uploading party.

    This is the quick and quiet way of dealing with these problems. It is certainly a lot more effective than running around like a chicken with its head cut off and raising a fuss on the forums.

    Oh and EA does remove them eventually and why we have a report button so EA is aware when infractions occur. EA "has" banned some of the offenders and removed worlds. But had you bothered to read the thread I was not running around like a chicken with their head cut off, and I first choose diplomacy if you bothered looking - asking rather nicely - even asking the person if she would at least get in touch with Vaughn, even gave her his twitter address and actually welcomed her to get his permission - but she did not. This was not a sudden eruption - it went on over a good period of time - I did not even step on the thread very often. Not very much like I ran around like a crazy lunatic as you imply. Dramaqueen much TJ?

    As with everything TJ a little research in the matter would enlighten you and make you look far less foolish.




    "Games Are Not The Place To Tell Stories, Games Are Meant To Let People Tell Their Own Stories"...Will Wright.

    In dreams - I LIVE!
    In REALITY, I simply exist.....

  • MarLin114MarLin114 Posts: 1,724 Member
    edited March 2013
    Stw402...I checked out the communication via the links. Possibly (but I really don't know for sure) a standard response after searching through a manual or quickly asking the CS rep next to him/her. I've personally spoken with CS several times and from my experience, I don't give them much credit. Their lack of understanding the question/problem and lack of knowledge...well, it's CS.

    Whether you stay with CAW or not is your decision to make. The only thing that you've done that wasn't very nice (that I can recall) was to download other Simmer's creations, and then analyze them and post what you found here on the forums. It's like airing dirty laundry. If there was truly a problem and you wanted to help someone fix it, it should have been kept between you and the creator. This is IMO only.

    We all mess up sometimes, we're human. I really don't see any reason you should stop creating, playing, posting on CAW...etc.
    a.k.a. - Linda
  • tjstreaktjstreak Posts: 808 Member
    edited March 2013
    Writin_Reg wrote:
    As with everything TJ a little research in the matter would enlighten you and make you look far less foolish.

    Well, it really would have helped if you had provided a link to the thread.

    But nothing you said changes my opinion. The situation basically was none of your business. You were acting as an officious intermeddler (how I love that phrase!)

    I mean, who gave you a sheriff's badge and asked you to police the EA forums?

    Or do you just enjoy being a tattletale?

    Or do you just enjoy trying to get people banned when they disagree with you or do something you do not approve of.

    The one to complain here was the creator. And since, he didn't, he obviously was not being harmed. It's not as if there were any pecuniary loss here. At most, what is involved here, are bragging rights to an imaginary name.

    My God, why is it that these forums seem more like a kindergarden where all of the kids are tattling on each other?

    Get out from under the bridge!
  • OilbasedoleanderOilbasedoleander Posts: 2,967 Member
    edited March 2013
    *eats some popcorn* goodness this is some interesting reading material for the morning...
    I suppose as a creator I think it's nice to be asked permission to upload a lot/world to the exchange, of course, if they didn't and still gave me credit I would not care. However, if it was uploaded with no credit or no permission, I would be annoyed, but to be honest, I don't actually OWN these items. I created something with content that is not mine, can I still call it my own?
    But a painter uses paints made by another manufacturer. And creates a masterpiece with them. Is it still not THEIR painting?
    I guess you could argue that with out the paint and canvas a painting would not exist, so the painting belongs to the manufacturers. But is not the IDEA of the painting created owned by its creator?

    Just some thoughts to chew on. I have work to do. Love peace and chicken grease.
  • GraceyManorGraceyManor Posts: 20,079 Member
    edited March 2013
    Well, that's unfair, I wont be creating anything anymore since people can be lazy and reupload other people's work and take credit.And you know what gets me is, these people get featured, but the original versions don't! :evil:

    suppose as a creator I think it's nice to be asked permission to upload a lot/world to the exchange, of course,

    Really you wouldn't? What if they got featured for it and your original one didn't?
  • tamdristamdris Posts: 29
    edited March 2013
    Folks I am not a creator...but I love the stuff that all of you create. Often, if something really grabs me...I will gift the creator as a thank you. I sent the person that posted the world a thank you and a gift, even though I was aware they were not the creator, I loved that world so much, I was grateful someone took the time to update the rabbitholes. Immediately, the poster sent me an email explaining that she was not the creator of the world, just merely putting it up because it was an amazing creation..and so many simmers love this world. She did not take credit for the world, and I do not understand the rancor that has been heaped on this person...it is ridiculous. When you put something on the exchange or Mediafire, or any public site...if people like it..they are going to share it, and change it, and use it...if you cannot handle that..then keep your creations to yourself. If you don't want others to enjoy it, personalize it, share it..then keep it personal to your game. As for a previous poster's comment about the sims police..or however they described it, I laughed so hard over that..because I often feel that way when reading these forums.
  • computertech82computertech82 Posts: 2,847 Member
    edited March 2013
    Seems tjstreak is nothing but a TROLL, and gets off STEALING other ppl's work. NEWS FLASH, there is a REASON ANYONE (not only the creator) is allowed to REPORT plagiarism IN THE EXCHANGE....DUH!!! Now, GET OVER IT!

    As one person pointed out. It would NOT be fair for a stolen world/house/sim to get featured, while the ORIGINAL work is not. Again, there is a REASON ANYONE is allowed to REPORT plagiarism IN THE EXCHANGE.
    tron_zps9rppf9ua.jpg
  • tjstreaktjstreak Posts: 808 Member
    edited March 2013
    Posting false and defamatory statements is as much a violation of EA's terms and conditions as is plagarizing someone else's work. Perhaps even more so, since it exposes both the poster and EA to liability for defamation.
    Post edited by Unknown User on
  • tjstreaktjstreak Posts: 808 Member
    edited March 2013
    Writin_Reg wrote:
    EA already owns - the digital/gaming rights to the full Harry Potter Series. You should have researched it TJ and you would have known that.

    Actually this is only half true. Warner Brothers licensed the rights to make movies from the Harry Potter books. However, Rowlings retained the rights to the characters themselves so that Warner Brothers could not make Harry Potter stories using these same characters.

    In turn, EA entered into a licensing agreement with Warner Brothers to make games based on the movies.

    Typically, in these licensing agreements, the author retains a lot of creative control. For example, Rowling demanded that the lead parts be played by English actors.

    However, saying that EA has the right to create games is a far cry from saying that anyone can use Rowling's intellectual property for their own use.

    Simmers tend to be real funny in this respect. The feel their is no problem stealing from authors and artists, and violate the copyrights of others with impunity. But if someone takes THEIR stuff, which they do not have any rights to, they scream like stuck pigs.

    So why is it you feel it is alright to steal from authors and artists, but not from other simmers?
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