What should I do if my work is plagiarized?

Hey, buddy, take it easy. This kind of thing is indeed infuriating, but it's a hurdle many creators and developers might encounter. It feels like someone stole your carefully grown cabbage and claimed it grew in their own garden.

When this happens, don't act impulsively. Don't rush to social media to call them out publicly and engage in a shouting match; that can complicate things and potentially backfire on you. We need to take it step by step, with a strategic approach.

Step One: Stay Calm, Then Gather Evidence

This is the most crucial step. You need to prove it's yours, and that they copied it. How do you do that?

• Prove "This is Mine":

  • Code/Projects: Your Git commit history is irrefutable proof, with timestamps for every commit.
  • Articles/Designs: Screenshots of your article's backend, source files (e.g., .psd, .sketch files), drafts from the creation process, email records, etc. In short, anything that proves your creation date predates theirs.
  • Screenshot and record all evidence, saving links to the plagiarized pages and products. This prevents them from taking it down and denying everything once they realize they've been caught.

• Prove "They Copied Me":

  • Create a comparison image. On the left, your original; on the right, their plagiarized version. Use red boxes to highlight identical or highly similar parts. For code, you can place similar functions or structures side-by-side. A picture is worth a thousand words, making it clear even to non-technical people.

Step Two: Analyze the Situation, Choose Your Channel

With evidence in hand, you can proceed confidently. Next, consider who the other party is and where the copied content was published.

• Scenario 1: The other party is an individual or small team, publishing on a platform (e.g., app store, GitHub, Zhihu, Xiaohongshu, etc.) This is usually the easiest to handle. Almost all major platforms have official infringement complaint channels. You don't need to confront them directly; let the "platform administrators" act as the judge.

  • Specific Action: Find the platform's "infringement complaint" or "report" portal and fill out the appeal as required. Submit the evidence you prepared in Step One (proof of your original work, proof of their plagiarism, comparison images).
  • Effect: After review, if the platform confirms plagiarism, they will usually take down the content directly, and may even penalize the other party's account. This approach is the most direct, effective, and lowest cost.

• Scenario 2: The other party is a somewhat reputable company This is a bit more complex. You can try private communication first.

  • Send a formal email: Find their contact information through their official website (legal, marketing, or even CEO's email will do). The email should be firm but polite, clearly stating three points: 1. Who you are and what of yours they copied (attach evidence links and comparison images). 2. This infringes upon your rights. 3. You demand they take down/delete/apologize within XX days.
  • Sometimes it might be an individual employee's action, unknown to senior management. If you send an email, they might handle it to protect their reputation. If they ignore you or play dumb, then you'll need to consider escalating your approach.

• Scenario 3: The other party published on their own independent website Without a platform to regulate them, you're on your own. Again, start by communicating via email. If communication fails, you'll have to consider the "hardcore" methods mentioned below.

Step Three: Take Action

• Communicate/Send Notice: As mentioned above, this is the lowest-cost first step.
• Platform Complaint: As mentioned above, this is the most efficient route.
• Legal Action (The Ultimate Move): If the other party is a company, or if the plagiarism has caused you significant losses, and communication and complaints have been ineffective, then you must consider hiring a lawyer.
  • Have a lawyer send them a "cease and desist letter" or "lawyer's letter". This carries far more weight than an email from you; many companies will back down upon receiving one and proactively engage in discussions.
  • If the letter doesn't work, then "filing a lawsuit" is the only option. Reaching this stage involves significant time and financial costs, but if your chain of evidence is complete, you have a strong chance of winning. This isn't just about seeking compensation; it's also about standing your ground.

How to "Prevent Future Trouble"?

Learn from experience; how can you minimize future occurrences or facilitate rights protection?

1. Keep your "birth certificates": All intermediate files, drafts, and commit records from your creative process should be carefully preserved. These are your most valuable assets.
2. Declare ownership promptly:
   • Code: Add an open-source license to your project (e.g., MIT or Apache 2.0). These allow others to use your code but require them to retain your copyright notice. If you want to be stricter, use a GPL license, which mandates that anyone using your code must also open-source their project.
   • Articles/Designs: Add a line like Copyright © 2024 [Your Name/Company Name] in the footer or an inconspicuous spot. While this won't stop everyone, it's at least a clear statement of rights.
3. Technically increase the barrier to plagiarism:
   • Frontend Code: You can obfuscate and minify your code to make it harder for them to copy.
   • Images/Designs: You can add invisible watermarks that are not easily detectable by the naked eye.

In summary: Calmly gather evidence, prioritize platform complaints, use communication as a supplement, and legal action as a last resort.

Dealing with this will be mentally exhausting, but don't doubt yourself or give up creating because of it. Treat it as a "level-up" experience; once you've handled this, you'll know how to protect your work in the future. Keep going!