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Using Copied Content, In Your Blog

Occasionally we see the naive query, in Blogger Help Forum: Learn More About Blogger.
Does copying content, into my blog, violate Blogger TOS?
The short (and too frequently provided) answer to the question is
No, copying content does not violate TOS.
Copying content to your blog is perfectly OK - when done legally. That said, you need to consider the issues - and possible results.

Part of the problem with the short answer, above, is that there are various possible consequences from inappropriately using copied content, in one's blog.

Blogger, or other Google services, may classify your blog.

If you copy content, your blog may be classified, by the various automated processes. Repeated detection of violations can cause loss of the blog, and of your Blogger account.

Blogs which routinely use copied content (whether with, or without permission from the legal owners), may be more subject to classification. If not classified by Blogger, the blog may get poor reputation from other Google services.

Your blog may be subject to copyright or DMCA claims.

If your blog uses content, copied without permission of the legal owners, it may be subject to DMCA Violation classification. If you copy from websites which do not legally own content - and even if you obtain permission from the website where you copy the content - the legal owner may still lodge a DMCA Complaint against your blog.

Any time you reference content from another blog or website, get permission from the owner of the content. If still in doubt, contact a lawyer. Protect yourself.

Even with owner permission, your blog needs original content.

Even if you do obtain proper legal permission to use specific content, your blog may still look like a spam blog, if a large proportion of your blog uses copied content - or if a large proportion of other blogs or websites use content from your blog.

My personal recommendation is that a minimum of 90% of the blog text content needs to be your exclusive and original work. You may find additional useful guidance, referencing advertising content, and images / videos, in various other websites.

You can have your blog reviewed - but reputation may not recover.

In any case, you may have your blog reviewed - and possibly restored - but your blog won't benefit from the experience. It's definitely to your benefit, to build your blog around interesting, unique, and useful content.

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