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Plagiarism rules

an ORANGE logo defined 


Cake wars are on fire:  claims of plagiarism unfold on Twitter.  It is a cake boss of the inauguration kind.  


Sadly, if you are renowned in some way and your craft is shared online you are exposed to plagiarism.

 But what do you do if you are not renowned in any way, a mere blogger who shares ideas openly to help others?

 What if your blog logo, an orange, is used as a logo for an internal initiative by the company you work for?  How do you prove that the idea stemmed from your own creativity and borrowed or used?  

 The same logo I unveiled on my blog was adopted for a corporate initiative:  coincidence?  Recourse? 
Aren't you glad I chose orange?
Does it even matter?   Coincidence or not?  How can one make such claims when the logo is used internally and not for public scrutiny?

 I can certainly say that I was not, am not, involved in any form of marketing, messaging or creative for said company.  

 Every day I go to work, this logo is paraded in front of me.  In fact, my paycheque depends on that logo.  I've struggled with this observation for a while now.  Perplexed by how anyone can make such claims without coming across sounding like whining?  

 Outrage?  Controversy?  Not me.  I probably was naive initially, taking it as a compliment that one of my ideas would be adopted by the company I work for, under the umbrella of my own opinions that I continually safeguard my opinions as my own and not that of my employer.    Do I really own my ideas while earning a paycheque for said company?  

 If you are an online personality or enthusiast who's ideas began long before working for the company.  Still, you have to ensure that you remove your opinions from associating with the company you work for ... now or in the past.   What about while various policing by companies to ensure you are not slandering the company, disclosing confidential information, or saying anything negative, they have you on their watch list that you cannot prove, as it is undercover cloaked in disguise.  
ORANGE
Then voila, your idea, information, logo is adopted by the company.  You are really handcuffed to not say anything: avoid appearing negative or open for discipline or loss of job for making claims that would not appear to be obvious, unless one works for said company:  just about everyone employed there has seen such image of an orange.

 Intellectual capital ownership really belongs to you or the company you work for?  

 There are safeguards in place for artists, musicians, writers for their protection from plagiarism.   Safe to say, it protects their intellectual, artistic capital.  If you read many Code of Ethics you sign with an organization you are paid by, you relinquish any creativity or ideas you come up with.  Doesn't that cover those that are credited, recognized and are compensated for coming up with ideas and not a lowly person on the totem pole who expresses ideas unrelated to the company?  

 I'm curious what others think about this?  Would an employee be barking up the wrong tree, be exposed to termination if they disclose such potential controversy?  Try to claim ownership rightfully.  Ask to be recognized properly.  Or, just come across as a whiner or wannabe?







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