In February 2023, a Technology reporter for socialbites.ca scanned a Telegram channel that looked ordinary at first glance but boasted more than 50,000 subscribers. As the journalist kept scrolling, familiar phrases, recognizable visuals, and convincing arguments stood out, prompting a deeper look.
A quick Google search on a post from this channel showed the message was a verbatim copy of material already published on socialbites.ca. Within hours, researchers confirmed the earliest circulated material dated back to February 2022.
The investigation showed that the channel’s authors had, from the start, pulled ready-made content from multiple sources without altering the text or citing the source. In several cases, images and photos owned by specific outlets were used without permission.
A contact labeled “Communication and advertising” appeared in the channel’s header. After a brief exchange requesting attribution, the operators stopped forwarding material from socialbites.ca and shifted to other outlets, a pattern seen across several media channels before this incident.
The Telegram channel reportedly drew material from Lenta.Ru, Tekhkult, IT-World, Overclockers and many other portals. Attempts to engage with a socialbites.ca correspondent did not deter the dishonest authors; they simply avoided proper attribution and passed copied work as their own. In today’s media landscape, some channel operators take on the role of journalist while sidestepping proper attribution, a practice widely viewed as unethical and unprofessional in journalism circles.
Media copyright infringement
Legal expert Ilya Lvov explained to socialbites.ca that exclusive rights to produced materials—whether articles, news items, or other works—belong to the media organization that commissions or publishes them, and these rights cover how the content is managed by the publisher.
“Copyright is related but distinct. The original rights typically begin with the journalist who authored the work, but under a publication contract, the exclusive rights transfer to the company so it can distribute the piece on its platforms,” Lvov noted.
He added that unauthorized use of media content is generally illegal unless permission is granted by the copyright holder, or a contract allows it. Sometimes permission exists for certain outlets; for others, a formal agreement is required.
“If such situations are detected, corrective steps vary with the seriousness of the breach, ranging from blocking the infringing resource to seeking compensation from the wrongdoer where feasible,” Lvov said.
Content copyright infringement
Articles and posts created by individual users, including bloggers, are protected by copyright because they reflect personal authorship. In the Russian Federation, copyright is safeguarded by law within the Civil Code, including Article 1255. This view was echoed by Irina Gukova, a founder of a law firm, in an interview with socialbites.ca.
Gukova pointed out that liability for copyright violation is outlined in Article 146 of the Criminal Code and can be triggered when content has been copied. In such cases, a pre-trial demand to remove the content can be pursued, and if the issue involves a Telegram channel, the platform’s management can be contacted to remove infringing material. If rights remain unaddressed after a pre-trial settlement, the matter may proceed to court for resolution, she explained.
Daria Petrova, PhD, a specialist in contract law and litigation, told socialbites.ca that verbatim reproduction of others’ articles breaches intellectual property rights and can lead to civil, administrative, and criminal consequences.
Petrova noted that administrative and criminal liability involve state prosecution, with civil liability addressing damages. The civil remedy may include damages up to 5 million rubles, subject to proof of loss and a court decision determining the amount.
She emphasized that proving authorship remains the hardest part of enforcement. “Ownership of copyright is established at creation and does not rely on any registration, which can make ownership difficult to prove in practice. Subtle changes to wording may cause courts to view a copied text as a new, independent work rather than as a direct infringement,” she observed.
How to deal with content theft?
Vitaly Revizonsky, head of a patent bureau, advised documenting the theft through a notary-certified inspection protocol before pursuing legal action. Once the fact is fixed, a pre-trial demand should be prepared and sent to the infringing party, with a response deadline of about 30 days. This step is essential to initiate a pre-trial settlement prior to filing a claim.
Ruslan Budnik, Deputy Director of an international research and education center, recommended consulting an experienced copyright expert in such cases. They can assess damages and potential gains to craft the best strategy for protecting rights. He also noted that unauthorized use is not automatically a criminal offense; it depends on the specifics of the infringement and the applicable law.
Budnik added that copyright protects the author’s created work. If a contested piece meets the criteria of a literary, scientific, or artistic work, its use generally requires the author’s or rights holder’s permission.
Budnik also stated that copying a protected work word-for-word without permission constitutes clear copyright infringement in most scenarios.
Is it possible to earn money by working?
Socialbites.ca notes that the Telegram channel in question operated with monetization in mind, including verified advertising. The question is whether a person can profit from simply copying material, posting it, and growing a channel.
The consensus from experts featured by socialbites.ca is clear: no. Those who want to run a news channel on Telegram should rely on genuine reporting and rewrite content while clearly citing sources. Proper attribution and original writing are essential for sustainable earning and professional credibility.