US-based magazine Cooks Source has reproduced an article by Monica Gaudio without her permission, according to the blog How Publishing Really Works.
Gaudio was informed by a friend that her 2005 article “A Tale of Two Tarts” had been re-published by Cooks Source. When Gaudio contacted the publication’s editor Judith Griggs, she was reportedly told, “Well, it was on the Internet. Didn’t you want it published?”
Gaudio explained that the article belonged to her and that reproducing it in a magazine didn’t represent fair use. According to Gaudio’s Live Journal she asked for an apology on Facebook, a printed apology in the magazine itself and a donation of US$130 to Columbia School of Journalism in lieu of payment.
She received a reply from the editor that showed a disturbing lack of understanding of copyright:
“But honestly Monica, the web is considered "public domain” and you should be happy we just didn’t “lift” your whole article and put someone else’s name on it!…I am sorry, but you as a professional should know that the article we used written by you was in very bad need of editing, and is much better now than was originally… We put some time into rewrites, you should compensate me!"
It doesn’t seem to be an isolated incident at Cook Source, as further examples of the magazine’s plagiarism have since appeared on Facebook.