A very strange reason to follow someone
By Koalemos
@Asylum (47893)
Manchester, England
December 20, 2015 6:33pm CST
Earlier I was browsing through the Recent Posts list and opened a discussion by chance. There was something rather suspicious about the phrasing of the article, so I checked on Google and discovered that it was plagiarised. I returned to the discussion and added a comment to that effect along with a link to the original.
Naturally I checked another discussion from the same member, which was also by someone else. This time I commented and mentioned who had originally said this. Both of these discussions have been deleted.
The member had 14 discussions at the time, but after checking a few others I found they were not plagiarised, but very poor submissions. That member now has 9 discussions, so obviously 5 have been removed.
To my surprise, shortly after posting my comments I received a notification that they were following me. Surely that person cannot expect that I would reciprocate?
40 people like this
44 responses
@rocky1980 (530)
• Chandigarh, India
21 Dec 15
they may be trying to investigate from where do you copy your post. They may be looking for revenge. Be careful. you need to install cctv cameras around you.
4 people like this
@Bluedoll (16774)
• Canada
21 Dec 15
Suggestion for myLot. Start a charity collection. Donations go to a good cause. Every post that has just been copied and pasted gets a fine which could work its way partially into the fund. Some serious offenders might end up with an amount $ in red.
3 people like this
@Bluedoll (16774)
• Canada
21 Dec 15
@Asylum yep true. Not the one you mentioned though right. I mean the posts were deleted but the person wasn't terminated just the posts. Maybe not worth the effort. Just throwing it out there. There could be fines for bypassing the smut filter too. Lets see what else.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
21 Dec 15
Now that is pretty odd. Wonder what that's about.
4 people like this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
21 Dec 15
@fishtiger58 We both know that, but it seems to be a popular trend for many new arrivals.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29823)
• Momence, Illinois
21 Dec 15
@Asylum They will soon find out that won't work.
1 person likes this
@dpk262006 (58675)
• Delhi, India
21 Dec 15
You were probably the only one who showed some interest, so the (new) user would have thought that you were his well wisher, so he started following you.
2 people like this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
21 Dec 15
@else34 I do prefer to point out errors or advise rather than simply report a violation because I would not want to cause unnecessary problems for someone who was not intentionally cheating. However, if the discussion had remained for too long then I would have ended up reporting it.
3 people like this
@else34 (13517)
• New Delhi, India
21 Dec 15
@dpk262006,In my opinion,@Asylum is a true well wisher of that new user.Well wishers always point out your mistakes,because they don't want you to be at a loss.
2 people like this
@mysdianait (66009)
• Italy
21 Dec 15
Could it be that before you pointed out the error to them, they had no idea that plagiarising is theft and not allowed? You, I presume, advised them not to do this and as admin has not removed all of their topics then there is still hope that they might abide by the rules.
They coould have followed you in appreciation of your advice. In the old myLot there were many times that I advised plagiairists and they turned out to be really good Lotters. Time will tell if this is the case with your new folloower 
1 person likes this
@mysdianait (66009)
• Italy
21 Dec 15
@Asylum that is also a possibilty. Some people just don't have the same cultire/principles/education or whatever fits and have no idea that stelaing the owek of others is the same as stealing their bike until they are informed by someone else.
1 person likes this
@pgiblett (6524)
• Canada
21 Dec 15
I moderate for another site. There is always hope that people will clean up their act, terminating an account should be seen as a last resort. Truth is some people refuse to learn. I had a case of ten articles being submitted on a single day being plagiarised, clearly having no regard for other people, they were terminated, but I have seen others who were initially unaware that copying is wrong and have amended their ways as a result of stern criticism.
1 person likes this
@Hatley (163781)
• Garden Grove, California
21 Dec 15
that is surely odd. whats with all these plagiarizers that they ghave not got enough imagination to write their own posts that they steal others works at least mine are all from my own brain whether of not anyone likes themat least \I am honest lol.
2 people like this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
21 Dec 15
@HanVanMeegerin I fully agree, there is more than adequate scope for anyone to compose a discussion.
1 person likes this
@HanVanMeegerin (1161)
• United States
21 Dec 15
@Asylum the requirements for posting a discussion are so nominal, that plagiarizing shows an utter lacking of mental stimulation.
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
21 Dec 15
hope they learned their lesson and don't plagiarize again
2 people like this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
21 Dec 15
@arthurchappell This is more than likely because many do not realise that it takes a little time to become established and known.
1 person likes this
@arthurchappell (45002)
• Preston, England
21 Dec 15
@Asylum probably impatient and desperate for attention if their bank wasn't moving too fast
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
21 Dec 15
Yes it is rather odd isn't it but some people will just follow anyone. I have seen an incresing number who I don't recognize and who have never comment on any discussions of mine.
2 people like this
@BelleStarr (61047)
• United States
21 Dec 15
@Asylum I have too, I feel rather snobbish at times but I don't follow many people who follow me
2 people like this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
21 Dec 15
@BelleStarr There would be no purpose in following someone who does not write the type of discussions that you feel you can comment on.
2 people like this
@pgntwo (22408)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
21 Dec 15
Your approach to such misdemeano(u)rs has merit.
I reported a small number this morning, but they were not new, rather from back at the start of the year - copies of material off a wedding photography site in the US by a member whose detail said they were from India... I did leave a response on one highlighting the URL of the original page, but then thought "Why? Surely the info relating to the original URL should be requested in the 'Report' dialog for Admin to check, if required?"
2 people like this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
22 Dec 15
@pgntwo I can appreciate the reason for your uncertainty on this, but I would be inclined to report one even if it was several years old. Despite being seemingly inactive it could still receive attention and could also be found by external surfers who would consider the site responsible.
1 person likes this
@pgntwo (22408)
• Derry, Northern Ireland
22 Dec 15
@Asylum Is there value in reporting older posts that are plagiarized? If they've been here for nigh on a year, then perhaps any opportunity for removal and redress, if any, has long elapsed...?
I wonder if @PhredWreck or @Owlwings have any insight into the value of reporting plagiarized material older than, say, 6months?
1 person likes this
@Carmelanirel2 (8084)
• United States
21 Dec 15
I don't follow someone unless they absolutely have an interest In enjoy or they had to have already interacted with me, either on my post or another's. I have so many who are following me, yet I never see them around..
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
21 Dec 15
We are all accustomed to that situation. It is common practice for new members to follow everyone they encounter in the hope of being followed in return They assume that collected a few hundred members that way will result in a huge amount of comments on any basic discussion and high income.
It does not seem to occur to them that unless they submit at least a mixture of reasonable and good discussions, plus interact with those same members, that they will make no progress.
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
21 Dec 15
@Carmelanirel2 He had not submitted a discussion worthy of a comment, so I was not following him but did keep an eye on his profile to see if he improved or violated the rules again.
He submitted one discussion since that occasion. This was a brief complaint of being misjudged and stated that we did not deserve his attention. That discussion has also disappeared now.
@Carmelanirel2 (8084)
• United States
21 Dec 15
@Asylum I know, but it still annoys me..
Your situation is interesting, have you decided to follow back or are you ignoring this member?
Your situation is interesting, have you decided to follow back or are you ignoring this member?1 person likes this
@Missmwngi (12927)
• Nairobi, Kenya
21 Dec 15
Ha haa maybe because of you he or she will reform
1 person likes this
@ChinaLeon (247)
• Tianjin, China
21 Dec 15
Waiting his next operation may help you understand what he wants to do.
By the way, I join myLot for not a long time. So may I ask you why your icon is dynamic??? 
Can I make it like yours?
Can I make it like yours? 1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
21 Dec 15
@ChinaLeon You are perfectly welcome.
1 person likes this
@ChinaLeon (247)
• Tianjin, China
21 Dec 15
@Asylum Oh. Thank you very much! I will search free animated gif that I like. Thanks for your guide again!
1 person likes this
