ToI Plagiarizes Again
Sometime ago, I had linked to a USA Today article (originally published in the Christian Science Monitor) on making money through Google Adsense. ToI has published a refurbished version of the same and has got some facts wrong.
Here is what the USA Today article said:
Jayant Kumar Gandhi, a former software engineer in New Delhi, is one of hundreds of thousands around the world on Google's shadow payroll.
In his spare time, Mr. Gandhi runs a free computer help website and recently began running ads by Google on his homepage as part of Google Adsense, a program that pays website publishers for advertising space. When visitors click on the ads on Gandhi's site, Google makes a small profit from the advertiser, and in turn, pays a percentage of that profit to Gandhi.
Deepesh Agarwal, who runs a small cybercafe in Rajasthan state, India, draws about 90% of his income, or $1,500 a month, from his Adsense earnings. It is a princely sum in a state where the average income is just $300 a year.
Let’s compare this with the ToI article:
Popular belief says metros are the only place to be to make money, but Deepesh Agarwal, thinks otherwise. Agarwal is the owner of a tiny cyber café in Mount Abu. Mount Abu is not a particularly affluent city—the average earning of the residents here is only about $300 (approx Rs 13,500) a year.
But Agarwal’s monthly earnings match those of white collared executives in the metros—he makes a whopping packet of about $1,500 (approx Rs 67,500) a month. How? In his spare time, Agarwal runs a free software download web site that runs ads by Google Adsense on his homepage. Google Adsense is a program that pays website owners for advertising space. When visitors click on the ads on Agarwal’s website, Google makes profit from the advertisers and in turn, pays a percentage of that profit to people like Agarwal.
Here is what the USA Today article said:
Jayant Kumar Gandhi, a former software engineer in New Delhi, is one of hundreds of thousands around the world on Google's shadow payroll.
In his spare time, Mr. Gandhi runs a free computer help website and recently began running ads by Google on his homepage as part of Google Adsense, a program that pays website publishers for advertising space. When visitors click on the ads on Gandhi's site, Google makes a small profit from the advertiser, and in turn, pays a percentage of that profit to Gandhi.
Deepesh Agarwal, who runs a small cybercafe in Rajasthan state, India, draws about 90% of his income, or $1,500 a month, from his Adsense earnings. It is a princely sum in a state where the average income is just $300 a year.
Let’s compare this with the ToI article:
Popular belief says metros are the only place to be to make money, but Deepesh Agarwal, thinks otherwise. Agarwal is the owner of a tiny cyber café in Mount Abu. Mount Abu is not a particularly affluent city—the average earning of the residents here is only about $300 (approx Rs 13,500) a year.
But Agarwal’s monthly earnings match those of white collared executives in the metros—he makes a whopping packet of about $1,500 (approx Rs 67,500) a month. How? In his spare time, Agarwal runs a free software download web site that runs ads by Google Adsense on his homepage. Google Adsense is a program that pays website owners for advertising space. When visitors click on the ads on Agarwal’s website, Google makes profit from the advertisers and in turn, pays a percentage of that profit to people like Agarwal.
ToI has picked the facts related to Mr. Gandhi and mentioned it as stuff related to Mr. Agarwal. The text highlighted in bold is the actual content that has been copied verbatim. Since ToI has not acknowledged the source as USA Today or CSM, I guess we can conclude that this tantamounts to plagiarism.
posted by Kaps at
11:44 PM
8 Comments:
Well, another instance where ToI is at its best - I still have the photograph snapped of a page where the same article is repeated twice on the "same" page - things like these have become quite common for ToI nowadays ... and how many times will we end up telling that it is already at the pinnacle of plagiarism. is there anyway that concerned citizens can shut down such an attempt - I don't really think so.
By
Anonymous, at 2:26 AM
There might have been some tieup. Else,the US Newspaper can sue TOI.
By
Indian Blogger, at 3:58 AM
Not the first time, and I am sure not the last as well
By
Nirav, at 5:34 PM
But this is so normal and very TOI-ish. TOI is trash.
By
D LordLabak, at 12:32 AM
That's strange. Aren't such earnings constrained by national laws? And are they taxed?
By
Wild Reeds, at 7:19 PM
@Prasoon,
The only thing we can do is to create awareness and spread the word. This would result in ToI realizing that people are watching it closely and it would try to be more creative in copying :-)
@Indian Blogger,
The original article was not something from Reuters / AFP etc. I doubt whether ToI has a tie-up with USA Today / CSM.
@Nirav,
Definitely not the last time.
@Deepa,
it is becoming very common these days
@Wild reeds,
I'm don't think Google deducts Tax at source for Indian payments. it might be left to the blogger to disclose such an earning in his/her personal / professional (business) tax return.
By
Kaps, at 1:02 AM
I'm still surprised at your regular reading of ToI !!!
I stopped for good, year and half back - and am sure, am atleast the time has not been wasted !
By
Arvind Srinivasan, at 7:58 AM
@Arvind,
good question. I actually read ET regularly as they provide lot of business gossip. Regarding ToI - i hv subscribed to the RSS feed and it keeps coming regularly.
By
Kaps, at 9:37 PM
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