Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To be annoyed someone has lifted some of my work and used it in a presentation without at least asking?

135 replies

Lex345 · 07/09/2024 23:29

Fully prepared to be told I'm a grumpy, joyless shit lol

I have a niche knowledge base that is not common for where I work and I have been working on projects bringing some of my expertise into the field. Part of this was a training suite which has been going on for well over a year.

This week, I was on an unrelated training session and my ACTUAL EXACT work (not changed, exactly the same) was used. I didn't know it had been used in this way and no one has asked. I didn't even know it had been disseminated.

AIBU to be a bit peeved? (I am also a bit flattered, but mainly peeved)?

OP posts:
Original poster
Lex345 · 08/09/2024 00:20

SnakesandKnives · 08/09/2024 00:16

You haven’t responded to anyone who has asked whether you’ve done this as a ‘paid expert contractor’ type position or if you’re employed by the company.

if the latter it isn’t yours, it’s theirs. That’s how it works. You could comment on the fact it’s not been delivered in an appropriate manner but otherwise you don’t have control over something jus5 because you were the paid employee that created it

I think I did respond just above saying I understand it is owned by the company; but in case this was missed I understand it belongs to the company-however it might be prudent to not teach it back to me ;)

OP posts:
SnakesandKnives · 08/09/2024 00:16

You haven’t responded to anyone who has asked whether you’ve done this as a ‘paid expert contractor’ type position or if you’re employed by the company.

if the latter it isn’t yours, it’s theirs. That’s how it works. You could comment on the fact it’s not been delivered in an appropriate manner but otherwise you don’t have control over something jus5 because you were the paid employee that created it

Original poster
Lex345 · 08/09/2024 00:13

Thank you for reassuring me I am not being petty to be a bit miffed and I can definitely learn from this as well.

I won't lose too much sleep over it, but will think of a way to mention it and ask for a quick courtesy email as an FYI if more is intended to be used

OP posts:
SugarHorseSpooks · 08/09/2024 00:09

Lex345 · 08/09/2024 00:06

Does make me wonder if I should make the remainder and any subsequent content private and convert to pdf or screenshot only when sharing.

I understand it belongs to the company and again I am fine with this. Its more a professional courtesy issue.

that would help limit and gate keep your information then in theory they should ask permission unless they have the full document and if they needed directly rewrite it all

mumda · 08/09/2024 00:09

Do something unique graphically on your slides that is within context but would need photoshopping out. A flick of colour, an ornate initial set.

Original poster
Lex345 · 08/09/2024 00:06

Does make me wonder if I should make the remainder and any subsequent content private and convert to pdf or screenshot only when sharing.

I understand it belongs to the company and again I am fine with this. Its more a professional courtesy issue.

OP posts:
BobbyBiscuits · 08/09/2024 00:05

@Lex345 no way are you being an arse. Your boss laughing about it makes them sound like the arse round there! It's out of order. If it comes to it is just go to the person who the 'pitch stealer' presented to and just show them how it's yours. 'It was great that Garry presented my work to you the other day. As he didn't have much input into the project I just wanted to run through some aspects from my pov. I'm really passionate about this and delighted it went down so well with you' or whatever...haha. don't let anyone steal your crown!

Original poster
Lex345 · 08/09/2024 00:03

SleepPrettyDarling · 07/09/2024 23:59

I’d definitely email the person who disseminated the information that included your slides, and say that not only was credit not given to you, but valuable context was absent. Request that the recipients be followed up to provide the source credit (you) and that the full scope research can be made available. Would you be in a position to enforce your IP on the work you did?

Thank you for this-I am not sure how to "enforce my ip" (I am not the most tech savvy in the world!).
How this work was created as a timeline if this helps-private in my drive in google drive.
Shared by invite only for view only access to 4-5 people.
I think I can see view history though
I will have a think about who I should speak to. The trainer themselves will not be the one here-they just present the deck

OP posts:
Positivenancy · 08/09/2024 00:02

SugarHorseSpooks · 07/09/2024 23:48

if you wrote it for x company while working for them then technically they own the rights to use it even though you created it

I came on to say this…anything I produce or discover etc whilst working for the company I’m in…belongs to them.

GoldOnyx · 08/09/2024 00:01

Lex345 · 07/09/2024 23:45

I don' lt mind so much about it being used-with permission though-just a courtesy message here and I would have been fine with it and would not require crediting. Now it will look like I have plagiarised them as my training will be delivered later as it is more complex.

I really feel for you and I’m sorry this has happened - it’s crap. I do think it may work ‘in your favour’, if you see what I mean (not that it needs to, but hopefully you see what I mean) as your training is more complex and in-depth, so it will show that they have taken their info from your training pack rather than it being the other way around.

SleepPrettyDarling · 07/09/2024 23:59

I’d definitely email the person who disseminated the information that included your slides, and say that not only was credit not given to you, but valuable context was absent. Request that the recipients be followed up to provide the source credit (you) and that the full scope research can be made available. Would you be in a position to enforce your IP on the work you did?

SugarHorseSpooks · 07/09/2024 23:58

Lex345 · 07/09/2024 23:57

No I don't believe so. I think it has been shared more widely by someone and then third or fourth hand has been lifted. Objectively, this has not been done with malice and is not even the strongest part of a much wider body of work. It is more that you can see I am the author and if asked i would have gladly agreed and even helped simplify it so it was even better to use in the context of the other training.

Show quote history

that i can understand it does take the pickles so to speak, manners cost nothing

Original poster
Lex345 · 07/09/2024 23:58

SugarHorseSpooks · 07/09/2024 23:55

so using it more of a show piece without fully understanding it ?

Show quote history

Yes, exactly this really.

OP posts:
Original poster
Lex345 · 07/09/2024 23:57

SugarHorseSpooks · 07/09/2024 23:53

also did your boss give x permission to use it ? @Lex345

No I don't believe so. I think it has been shared more widely by someone and then third or fourth hand has been lifted. Objectively, this has not been done with malice and is not even the strongest part of a much wider body of work. It is more that you can see I am the author and if asked i would have gladly agreed and even helped simplify it so it was even better to use in the context of the other training.

OP posts:
SugarHorseSpooks · 07/09/2024 23:55

Lex345 · 07/09/2024 23:54

Re if there were issues with the way it was delivered; yes-it over simplified and made it rather pointless to use it really. It devalued it. It was used in a way that to the trained eye made it obvious the person didn't "get" the full context edited because my fat fingers cannot spell!

Edited

so using it more of a show piece without fully understanding it ?

Original poster
Lex345 · 07/09/2024 23:54

Re if there were issues with the way it was delivered; yes-it over simplified and made it rather pointless to use it really. It devalued it. It was used in a way that to the trained eye made it obvious the person didn't "get" the full context edited because my fat fingers cannot spell!

OP posts:
SugarHorseSpooks · 07/09/2024 23:53

also did your boss give x permission to use it ? @Lex345

Sadmamatoday · 07/09/2024 23:52

I feel this is a tough one as basically everything is plagerised. I'd just have a discreet word to the person but probably leave it at that. The fact they didn't even bother to change it shows they probably don't care

Original poster
Lex345 · 07/09/2024 23:52

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

I'm not quite that annoyed ;)

OP posts:
Talipesmum · 07/09/2024 23:50

And yes, I would talk to them. “Hey I see you found my material from the pack I’m creating - I hadn’t shared that widely yet, as the course is still in prep, where did you find out about it?” They’ll be pleased to talk more if it was accidental / they didn’t know where it had come from, and hopefully a bit shamed if they sneaked it hoping no one would notice.

Original poster
Lex345 · 07/09/2024 23:49

Talipesmum · 07/09/2024 23:47

I’d get your name and reference the full pack on each slide in the original - probably not in the header and footer as that’s not always copied over. That way if it goes walkabout it’s more clear where it comes from.

Often someone isn’t thinking “this is someone’s work” - they find useful material on servers and just use it. If it’s got labels all over they tend to come along, unless someone’s being deliberately underhand.

Show quote history

Yes, I very much doubt there is malice here-and I am pleased someone has obviously seen it as useful and high enough quality to simply lift-I suppose it was the shock of someone else teaching me what I had written. It was weird!

OP posts:
Dtchapman13 · 07/09/2024 23:49

This reply has been deleted

This has been deleted by MNHQ for breaking our Talk Guidelines.

SugarHorseSpooks · 07/09/2024 23:48

if you wrote it for x company while working for them then technically they own the rights to use it even though you created it

Butterflyfern · 07/09/2024 23:48

Was there issues with how the content was presented or used that changed the meaning? Or created inaccuracies?

Tbh the company owns all your work, so it's not plagerism if the other presenter is part of the same company? Could you coordinate, so that the messaging is consistent and the two pieces of work look coherent?

Talipesmum · 07/09/2024 23:47

Lex345 · 07/09/2024 23:43

Re questions above-as far as I knew only 4 or 5 people had access to it; it was shared in google drive. What is slightly more worrying is there is a much larger volume of work there and it isn't standalone content to pick and mix from-it is like giving the punchline to a joke without the build up.
It was presented as part of a completely separate training course as if someone else had written it

I’d get your name and reference the full pack on each slide in the original - probably not in the header and footer as that’s not always copied over. That way if it goes walkabout it’s more clear where it comes from.

Often someone isn’t thinking “this is someone’s work” - they find useful material on servers and just use it. If it’s got labels all over they tend to come along, unless someone’s being deliberately underhand.