Posting large chunks of text

OneYorkshireLass

Re this: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showpost.php?p=14070827&postcount=7

There's a trend now for posting large blocks of text lifted straight from the website hosting a competition - mainly terms and conditions. Does the above post relate to just the competition details, or are terms and conditions included in this rule? I've been assuming it's the latter.

I appreciate people are trying to be helpful by posting the T&Cs but worry about companies getting a bit peeved off.

fire**fly

IMHO I think the trend has become because if they/the op doesn't post the t&c's someone else comes along & adds it to the posting,
sometimes even when the op has added the url for the t&c's

OneYorkshireLass

I dunno about you fire**fly but I never actually read the T&Cs ... do you? I mean, I think they're important for holidays, experience days, makeovers and the like, but for anything else they're mostly redundant. Except maybe if you have to collect from a certain place.

Zanzib

I've found that there can often be something important in the terms and conditions which should be highlighted- things like you've mentioned already.

I try and avoid adding in big reams of text and include a link instead.

I do like to see t&c's links- or tricky elements highlighted, because there's nothing worse than entering, winning and then finding you can't get the prize because you didn't read the t&c's or there was a particular requirement you don't qualify.

If I knew I couldn't meet the criteria I wouldn't enter...

[Deleted User]

OneYorkshireLass wrote: »

I dunno about you fire**fly but I never actually read the T&Cs ... do you? I mean, I think they're important for holidays, experience days, makeovers and the like, but for anything else they're mostly redundant. Except maybe if you have to collect from a certain place.

I only read them if I post a comp and then I will put any important bits in my op, I think most are standard aren't they?

fire**fly

OneYorkshireLass wrote: »

I dunno about you fire**fly but I never actually read the T&Cs ... do you? I mean, I think they're important for holidays, experience days, makeovers and the like, but for anything else they're mostly redundant. Except maybe if you have to collect from a certain place.

I do read a lot of them OYL but it depends on the comp,
sometimes in the IW thread peeps have said they've not/aren't sure if received the full prize/didn't realise some of the rules of the comp etc
& if the op of the comp has included the t&c's /prize details in the posting but not p/c'd it out sometimes the t&c's disappear when the comps ended so they can't trace the details if they need to IYSWIM

elsien

OP I see what you mean. It's actually quite off-putting.
I do find it useful when people put in the relevant bits like dates for holidays, or if you have to be a member or whatever, just so you can rule it in or out quite quickly.
But the copying and pasting of the whole lot on mass does seem like overkill and actually makes me less likely to plough through it all - never found it necessary before and I've been comping for years. If I was that bothered, I'd read them on the site.

custardcream1000

I would imagine the post does apply to the t&c too, as if the company wished to claim copyright infringement I think it would be upheld regardless of what the information was being used for (I am just basing this on my knowledge of plagerism so I could be way off).

However, I have found people posting the t&c very helpful at times as I would have disqualified my entries otherwise. A recent example is the Morrisons t-shirt design competition. Luckily someone had checked the t&c and noted that a parental signature was needed for entries to be accepted. This information was not apparent on the competition page or the entry form.

So I tend to agree with Zanzib and elsien, that it's helpful when people highlight the important t&c, but leave out all the jargon inbetween.

surfboard2

That post was made nearly 5 years ago, i'd be interested to know if there have been any recent complaints?

T&C's for things like holidays are a must imo. I've mentioned before that i won a holiday and a key part of the holiday was changed. I was lucky enough that the people i dealt with sent me the terms and conditions when i won, but not everyone operates like that.

A link to the T&C's is always useful, but once a comp is finished, like firefly said, you may find the link has gone dead too.

I find terms and conditions quite useful myself.

I see quite a few people post in IWIWIW about how their prize wasn't fulfilled, or they didn't know they had to pay for something e.t.c and the usual reply is refer to the terms and conditions.

Blulu

I agree with Our Lass. 2 reasons:

1) not a biggie, but I do find it a bit off putting to see huge chunks of text - nearly all of which is standard and certainly not worth trawling through.

2) the comp host might well not be thrilled to see their text copied and pasted. Some will be pleased to have their comp promoted and the T&C posted, but others might well be annoyed at seeing their stuff plagiarised. In my humbles it's safest and best to post a link to the T&C and only copy anything that stands out as especially important.

Blu X

Zanzib

Just to clarify copyright/plagiarism

Copying and posting the terms and conditions without permission would be copyright infringement. But you should always cite where it comes from, so credit is given.

Though I would be very doubtful that a company would take action as they presumably want their competition advertising.

Plagiarism is using the text yourself (say with minor adjustments in phrasing, word order) and passing it off as your own work.