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Altered template type. Added magazine. Removed parameters. Some additions/deletions were parameter name changes. | Use this bot. Report bugs. | Suggested by Abductive | Category:Plagiarism detectors | #UCB_Category 10/15
 
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{{short description|Online plagiarism detection service}}
{{Infobox Software
{{Infobox website
| name = Copyscape
| name = Copyscape
| logo = [[Image:Copyscapelogo.gif|center|180px]]
| logo = Copyscape-logo.png
| screenshot =
| founded = {{Start date|2004|7|10}}
| caption =
| area_served = Worldwide
| author =
| language = [[Multilingual]]
| developer = Indigo Stream Technologies, Ltd.
| industry = [[Digital content]]
| latest release version =
| url = {{URL|copyscape.com}}
| latest release date =
⚫
| website_type = [[Plagiarism detection]]
| latest preview version =
| commercial = Yes
| latest preview date =
| registration = Optional
| operating system =
| platform = [[Internet]]
⚫
| genre = [[Plagiarism detection]]
| license =
| website = http://www.copyscape.com
}}
}}
'''Copyscape''' is an [[Plagiarism#On the Internet|online plagiarism]] detection service that checks whether similar text [[Content (media and publishing)|content]] appears elsewhere on the [[World Wide Web|web]].<ref>{{cite magazine |first= Scott |last= Gilbertson |title= Copyscape: Track Stolen Content |url= https://www.wired.com/2006/11/copyscape-track-stolen-content/ |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |date= November 17, 2006 |access-date= July 25, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |first= Matt |last= Keener |title= 16 Productivity Tools Nobody Can Live Without |url= https://time.com/3646294/productivity-tool/ |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |date= December 26, 2014 |access-date= July 25, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first= Elinor |last= Mills |title= Steal this post |url= https://www.usatoday.com/tech/products/cnet/2007-08-02-blog-plagiarism_N.htm |work=[[USA Today]] |date= February 8, 2007 |access-date= July 25, 2019}}</ref> It was launched in 2004 by Indigo Stream Technologies, Ltd.


Copyscape is used by content owners to detect cases of "content theft", in which content is copied without permission from one site to another.<ref>{{cite news |first= Diane |last= Mapes |title= Steal this story? Beware Net's plagiarism 'cops' |url= http://www.nbcnews.com/id/32657885/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/t/steal-story-beware-nets-plagiarism-cops/#.XTlr5ZMzZ25 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150702171502/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/32657885/ns/technology_and_science-tech_and_gadgets/t/steal-story-beware-nets-plagiarism-cops/#.XTlr5ZMzZ25 |url-status= dead |archive-date= July 2, 2015 |work=[[NBC News]] |date= September 10, 2009 |access-date= July 25, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first= Maura |last= Welch |title= Online plagiarism strikes blog world |url= http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2006/05/08/online_plagiarism_strikes_blog_world/ |work=[[The Boston Globe]] |date= May 8, 2006 |access-date= July 25, 2019}}</ref> It is also used by content publishers to detect cases of [[Fraud|content fraud]], in which old content is repackaged and sold as new original content.<ref>{{cite news |first= Karen E. |last= Klein |title= Scanning for Scammers Before You Buy In |url= https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2008-03-03/scanning-for-scammers-before-you-buy-inbusinessweek-business-news-stock-market-and-financial-advice |work=[[Bloomberg Businessweek]] |date= March 3, 2008 |access-date= July 25, 2019}}</ref>
==Overview==
'''Copyscape''' is a [[web]]-based online [[plagiarism detection]] service that allows users to check whether their [[Content (media and publishing)|content]] has been stolen or copied by others online. The service is provided by Indigo Stream Technologies, Ltd.


==Features==
== History ==
Copyscape was launched in 2004 by Indigo Stream Technologies, Ltd., co-founded in 2003 by Gideon Greenspan.<ref>{{cite web |title= Gideon Greenspan |url= http://www.gidgreen.com/ |access-date= July 25, 2019 }}</ref> According to an interview with Greenspan, the company originally developed an alerting service called Google Alert, out of which the Copyscape service grew as an expansion.<ref>{{cite news |first= Tamar |last= Weinberg |title= Interview with Gideon Greenspan, Co-Founder and CTO Copyscape |url= https://hostadvice.com/blog/gideon-greenspan-copyscape-interview/ |work=Host Advice |date= April 21, 2016 |access-date= July 25, 2019}}</ref>
Copyscape offers both free and paid services for detecting and preventing [[Plagiarism|online plagiarism]]:
===Free Services===
* The free Copyscape service allows users to type in the [[URL]] of their web page; Copyscape returns a list of web pages that contain copies of all or parts of this content.
* Copyscape Banners are freely available to be placed on users' websites in order to warn potential plagiarists against stealing the site's content.
* Informational resources, links and an online [[Internet forum|forum]] allow users to learn more about protecting their [[Intellectual Property]] rights online.


==Functionality==
===Professional Services===
Given the [[Uniform Resource Locator|URL]] or text of the original content, Copyscape returns a list of web pages that contain similar text to all or parts of this content.<ref>{{cite news |first= Karen E. |last= Klein |title= Scanning for Scammers Before You Buy In |url= https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2008-03-03/scanning-for-scammers-before-you-buy-inbusinessweek-business-news-stock-market-and-financial-advice |work=[[Bloomberg Businessweek]] |date= March 3, 2008 |access-date= July 25, 2019}}</ref> It also shows the matching text highlighted on the found web page. Copyscape banners can be placed on a web page to warn potential plagiarists not to steal content. Copysentry monitors the web and sends [[Notification system|notifications]] by email when new copies are found, and Copyscape Premium verifies the [[originality]] of content purchased by online content publishers.
* Copyscape Premium has all the features of the free service, and allows an unlimited number of searches. It also allows users to search for copies of their [[offline]] content by [[copy and paste|copying and pasting]] their text. This is useful for online content publishers who must verify the [[originality]] of the content they have purchased before posting it on their site. The service also allows users to track the status of cases of plagiarism.
* Copysentry provides ongoing protection for a user's entire website by monitoring the web automatically every day and alerting the user whenever new copies are found. The service also allows users to track the status of cases of plagiarism.


Copyscape uses the [[Google Web API]] to power its searches.<ref>{{cite news |first= Kevin J. |last= Delaney |title= Copyright Tool Will Scan Web For Violations |url= https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB116640468524853020 |work=[[The Wall Street Journal]] |date= December 18, 2006 |access-date= July 25, 2019}}</ref> Copyscape uses a set of [[algorithm]]s to identify copied content that has been modified from its original form.
==Publicized Cases==
⚫
Copyscape has been used in a number of publicized cases to detect online plagiarism. Some examples include:


==Reported use in plagiarism cases==
⚫
* On [[October 17]] [[2005]], Paul Litterick of the [[New Zealand Association of Rationalists and Humanists]] used Copyscape to analyze [[Bruce Logan]]'s published newspaper work, setting off a [[Bruce_Logan#Plagiarism_scandal | plagiarism scandal]]. Litterick found that some of Logan's work was taken (in most cases with permission) from Anglo-American sources, which include the [[Heritage Foundation]], Institute for American Values and National Fatherhood Institute, [[Maggie Gallagher]] a US social conservative journalist, [[Melanie Phillips]] (UK), Conservative Christian Fellowship (UK) and Digby Anderson, [[Social Affairs Unit]] (UK). Litterick published the results in the ''Fundy Post'' (Issues 18 and 19). In [[November 2005]], Logan retired from the [[Maxim Institute]]. <ref>http://www.nbr.co.nz/home/column_article.asp?id=13276&cid=8&cname=News</ref>
⚫
Copyscape's use has been reported in cases involving online plagiarism:
⚫
* On [[April 6]] [[2005]], Arve Bersvendsen, a Norwegian Web developer, used Copyscape to find a copy of a [[CSS]] [[tutorial]] he wrote posted on a site owned by [[Apple Inc.]]<ref>http://news.com.com/8301-10784_3-5663303-7.html</ref> Bersvendsen claimed that Apple had [[copyright infringement|infringed his copyright]], and the content in question was immediately removed.<ref>http://virtuelvis.com/archives/2005/04/apple-copyright-violations</ref>
* On [[March 18]] [[2005]], Copyscape was reported as the means used to scour the Internet in the case of Brayton Purcell LLP vs. Recordon & Recordon, filed in the [[United States District Court for the Northern District of California]] (361 F.Supp.2d 1135). According to Brayton Purcell, on [[October 7]], [[2004]], Copyscape was used to search the Internet for unauthorized use of materials.<ref>https://www.fastcase.com/Google/Start.aspx?C=ebd6dd7ddc32fc0c28ad70d9a793d04c7b23e03c4f2bef5d&D=60a163084aedbe22ee7a968bf305851789753be5338c4333</ref>
⚫
* On [[December 9]] [[2005]], Richard Stiennon of [[ZDNet]] used Copyscape to find six websites that had stolen and re-published an [[ISP]] [[business plan]] he had written.<ref>http://blogs.zdnet.com/threatchaos/?p=222</ref>
The Copyscape website also contains [[testimonial]]s from users describing some examples of how the service has been used to detect online plagiarism.<ref>http://copyscape.com/testimonials.php</ref>


* On March 18, 2005, Copyscape was reported as the means used to search the Internet for unauthorized use of materials in the case of Brayton Purcell LLP vs. Recordon & Recordon, filed in the [[United States District Court for the Northern District of California]] (361 F.Supp.2d 1135). According to Brayton Purcell, Copyscape was used to search the Internet for unauthorized use of materials on October 7, 2004.<ref>{{cite news |title= Brayton Purcell LLP v. Recordon & Recordon, 361 F.Supp.2d 1135 |url= https://www.courtlistener.com/opinion/2500113/brayton-purcell-llp-v-recordon-recordon |work=[[United States District Court for the Northern District of California]] | date= March 18, 2005 |access-date= July 25, 2019}}</ref> On August 6, 2009, Copyscape was cited as the means used to detect plagiarism before the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit|9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals]].<ref>{{cite news |first= Jonathan |last= Bailey |title= 9th Circuit Finds for PI Firm Over Theft of Firm's Web Site Content |url= https://www.plagiarismtoday.com/2009/08/06/3-count-taken-away/ |work=Plagiarism Today |date= August 6, 2009 |access-date= July 25, 2019}}</ref>
==Design==
⚫
* On April 6, 2005, Arve Bersvendsen, a Norwegian Web developer, used Copyscape to find a copy of a [[CSS]] [[tutorial]] he wrote posted on a site owned by [[Apple Inc.]]<ref>{{cite news |first= Paul |last= Festa |title= Apple accused of copyright wrongs |url= https://www.cnet.com/news/apple-accused-of-copyright-wrongs/ |work=[[CNET]] |date= April 11, 2005 |access-date= July 25, 2019}}</ref> Bersvendsen claimed that Apple had [[copyright infringement|infringed his copyright]], and the content in question was immediately removed.<ref>{{cite news |first= Arve |last= Bersvendsen |title= Apple and copyright violations |url= http://virtuelvis.com/2005/04/apple-and-copyright-violations/ |work=Virtuelvis |date= April 6, 2005 |access-date= July 25, 2019}}</ref>
Copyscape uses the [[Google Web API]] to power its searches. Copyscape uses a set of proprietary [[algorithm]]s to identify copied content even if it has been significantly modified from its source.
⚫
* On October 17, 2005, Paul Litterick of the [[New Zealand Association of Rationalists and Humanists]] used Copyscape to analyze [[Bruce Logan (author)|Bruce Logan]]'s published newspaper work, setting off a [[Bruce Logan (author)|plagiarism scandal]].<ref>{{cite news |title= The Fundy Post: Sorry Seems to be The Hardest Word |url= http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PO0511/S00011.htm |work=Scoop News |date= November 3, 2005 |access-date= July 25, 2019}}</ref> Litterick found that some of Logan's work was taken (in most cases with permission) from Anglo-American sources, including [[The Heritage Foundation]], the [[Conservative Christian Fellowship]], the [[Institute for American Values]], [[Digby Anderson]] of the [[Social Affairs Unit]] and writers [[Maggie Gallagher]] and [[Melanie Phillips]]. Litterick published the results in the ''Fundy Post'' (Issues 18 and 19). Logan retired from the [[Maxim Institute]] one month later.<ref>{{cite news |first= Julie |last= Middleton |title= Maxim back in gun over plagiarism |url= https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10353493 |work=[[The New Zealand Herald]] |date= November 4, 2005 |access-date= July 25, 2019}}</ref>

⚫
* On December 9, 2005, Richard Stiennon, a writer at [[ZDNet]], used Copyscape to find six Web sites that had stolen and re-published an [[ISP]] [[business plan]] he had written.<ref>{{cite news |first= Richard |last= Stiennon |title= Copyscape, a very interesting twist on IP protection |url= https://www.zdnet.com/home-and-office/networking/copyscape/ |work=[[ZDNet]] |date= December 9, 2005 |access-date= July 25, 2019}}</ref>
Copyscape is able to find online copies of textual content, but not of images or other media.

Copyscape is not able to determine whether a copy is authorized or unauthorized, nor is it able to determine which of two websites copied the other. Both of these determinations are left up to users.

== History ==
Indigo Stream Technologies, Ltd. was co-founded in 2003 by Gideon Greenspan.<ref>http://www.gidgreen.com</ref>

==See also==
*[[Plagiarism]]
*[[Intellectual property]]
*[[Copyright Infringement]]
*[[Digital Millennium Copyright Act]]
*[[Online Copyright Infringement Liability Limitation Act]]


==References==
==References==
{{reflist}}
{{reflist|30em}}


==External links==
==External links==
*[http://www.copyscape.com/ Copyscape.com]
* {{Official website|http://www.copyscape.com/}}.
*[http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1895,1871384,00.asp "Copyscape - Top 101 Websites"], [[PC Magazine]], [[October 17]] [[2005]]
* [http://copyscape.websitetoolbox.com/ Copyscape forums]. For discussion about:
** Copyright law in general.
*[http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2006/05/08/online_plagiarism_strikes_blog_world/ "Online plagiarism strikes blog world"], [[Boston Globe]], [[May 8]] [[2006]]
** Dealing with plagiarism.
*[http://www.webpronews.com/topnews/2005/08/30/copyscape-searches-for-scraped-content "Copyscape Searches For Scraped Content"], WebProNews, [[August 30]] [[2005]]
** Copyscape.
*[http://sbinformation.about.com/b/a/108135.htm "Online Copyright Infringement"], [[About.com]]



[[Category:Plagiarism detectors]]
[[Category:Plagiarism detectors]]
[[Category:Copyright enforcement companies]]
[[Category:Copyright enforcement companies]]
[[Category:Fair use]]
[[Category:Internet properties established in 2004]]
[[Category:Copyright law]]

Latest revision as of 12:23, 15 December 2024

Copyscape
Type of site
Plagiarism detection
Available inMultilingual
FoundedJuly 10, 2004 (2004-07-10)
Area servedWorldwide
IndustryDigital content
URLcopyscape.com
CommercialYes
RegistrationOptional

Copyscape is an online plagiarism detection service that checks whether similar text content appears elsewhere on the web.[1][2][3] It was launched in 2004 by Indigo Stream Technologies, Ltd.

Copyscape is used by content owners to detect cases of "content theft", in which content is copied without permission from one site to another.[4][5] It is also used by content publishers to detect cases of content fraud, in which old content is repackaged and sold as new original content.[6]

History

[edit]

Copyscape was launched in 2004 by Indigo Stream Technologies, Ltd., co-founded in 2003 by Gideon Greenspan.[7] According to an interview with Greenspan, the company originally developed an alerting service called Google Alert, out of which the Copyscape service grew as an expansion.[8]

Functionality

[edit]

Given the URL or text of the original content, Copyscape returns a list of web pages that contain similar text to all or parts of this content.[9] It also shows the matching text highlighted on the found web page. Copyscape banners can be placed on a web page to warn potential plagiarists not to steal content. Copysentry monitors the web and sends notifications by email when new copies are found, and Copyscape Premium verifies the originality of content purchased by online content publishers.

Copyscape uses the Google Web API to power its searches.[10] Copyscape uses a set of algorithms to identify copied content that has been modified from its original form.

Reported use in plagiarism cases

[edit]

Copyscape's use has been reported in cases involving online plagiarism:

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Gilbertson, Scott (November 17, 2006). "Copyscape: Track Stolen Content". Wired. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  2. ^ Keener, Matt (December 26, 2014). "16 Productivity Tools Nobody Can Live Without". Time. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  3. ^ Mills, Elinor (February 8, 2007). "Steal this post". USA Today. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  4. ^ Mapes, Diane (September 10, 2009). "Steal this story? Beware Net's plagiarism 'cops'". NBC News. Archived from the original on July 2, 2015. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  5. ^ Welch, Maura (May 8, 2006). "Online plagiarism strikes blog world". The Boston Globe. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  6. ^ Klein, Karen E. (March 3, 2008). "Scanning for Scammers Before You Buy In". Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  7. ^ "Gideon Greenspan". Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  8. ^ Weinberg, Tamar (April 21, 2016). "Interview with Gideon Greenspan, Co-Founder and CTO Copyscape". Host Advice. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  9. ^ Klein, Karen E. (March 3, 2008). "Scanning for Scammers Before You Buy In". Bloomberg Businessweek. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  10. ^ Delaney, Kevin J. (December 18, 2006). "Copyright Tool Will Scan Web For Violations". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  11. ^ "Brayton Purcell LLP v. Recordon & Recordon, 361 F.Supp.2d 1135". United States District Court for the Northern District of California. March 18, 2005. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  12. ^ Bailey, Jonathan (August 6, 2009). "9th Circuit Finds for PI Firm Over Theft of Firm's Web Site Content". Plagiarism Today. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  13. ^ Festa, Paul (April 11, 2005). "Apple accused of copyright wrongs". CNET. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  14. ^ Bersvendsen, Arve (April 6, 2005). "Apple and copyright violations". Virtuelvis. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  15. ^ "The Fundy Post: Sorry Seems to be The Hardest Word". Scoop News. November 3, 2005. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  16. ^ Middleton, Julie (November 4, 2005). "Maxim back in gun over plagiarism". The New Zealand Herald. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
  17. ^ Stiennon, Richard (December 9, 2005). "Copyscape, a very interesting twist on IP protection". ZDNet. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
[edit]
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