The Wholesale Plagiarism of Obscure Sorrows (waxy.org)

Article summary

A web design and marketing agency, Qontour, created a website for The Dictionary of Obscure Sorrows, a book by John Koenig, without his permission. The site included the entire text of the book, AI-generated images, and a feature to submit new words. Koenig stated he had nothing to do with the site, and his publisher had previously filed DMCA takedowns, which had no effect. Qontour later made changes to the site, removing most of the book's content and revising the credits.

Main themes

• Copyright infringement
• AI-generated content
• Plagiarism
• DMCA effectiveness
• Intellectual property protection
• AI ethics

What commenters say

• The DMCA is a flawed instrument that can be used to suppress legitimate content, but in this case, it is being used to protect the author's rights.
• Qontour's actions are a clear example of plagiarism and copyright infringement, and they should be held accountable.
• The use of AI to generate content raises questions about authorship and ownership, and it is unclear how copyright laws will adapt to these new technologies.
• The DMCA is not an effective tool for protecting intellectual property, and alternative methods, such as suing Google, may be more effective.
• The focus on FOSS and open-source software is misplaced, as proprietary IP owners are also vulnerable to copyright laundering.
• The ability to easily replicate and redistribute content using AI will disrupt traditional business models and raise questions about the value of creative work.
• The use of AI to generate content is not necessarily a bad thing, but it should be done in a way that respects the original creators and their rights.
• The current state of copyright law and AI-generated content is a recipe for disaster, and new regulations and laws are needed to protect creators and their work.