Website has taken my post and using it as an info/advice article

[PinkyU]

AIBU to think that at the bare minimum I should be credited in the “article”?

Around 9 years ago I was a member of a parenting site, during that time I wrote a post in response to a thread regarding breastfeeding, a few months later my post appeared on the sites dedicated breastfeeding information page (verbatim) written in article form with nothing credited to myself (the author) and no permission sought to use it as such.

I complained at the time and was told it would be credited to myself. It wasn’t, instead it was credited to “anonymous member”. I wasn’t happy and requested they removed it from that particular part of their website. I left the site shortly after.

I’ve literally just had to search for something online related to the same topic for the first result on google to be a link to this site and my post (verbatim) in article form with zero credit to myself, the original author.

I’m really frustrated and quite angry!

Can a website do this with posts written by members on their chat forum, just lift posts to pass as info/advice articles (with related sponsorship ad banners, so monetising the page with my information) without permission and against my wishes?

I think they can if they’re but something in their terms and conditions.

Yes, the terms and conditions will cover this. You hand over rights to your content when you use their forum to post it.

Why do you keep using myself instead of me? They aren't interchangeable. I wouldn't normally comment on language use but if you're going to email a complaint into the site then you need to write it correctly, and you should be using me not myself throughout your post.

Unfortunately they can. A well known forum about how to save money nicked several of my posts and published them as their own, the same for many others.

I think what you post in a public forum is up for the taking really. It's out there, anyone can read it/copy it/adapt it.

Why are you bothered about it? Was it advice about breastfeeding? If so I'd be a bit proud it was being used elsewhere, it must be good advice so is presumably helping more people!

Its frustrating as I spent a huge amount of time (years) researching the information contained in the post (though obviously it’s condensed and more reader friendly within the post and article) and my hard work is being palmed off as the sites own. I don’t dislike that it’s being used to potentially help people, more that (probably selfishly) I feel disgruntled that my work is being passed off as someone (the sites in this case) else’s. Unfortunately it looks like there’s nothing I can do about it.

Lulu thank you for pointing that out.