Plagiarism Checks, Freemium Controversies, AP’s Twitter Debacle

The Strategist picks the day’s most interesting stories for the content aficionados who love the backstory and reading between the lines. Here are the gems you need to kickstart your Wednesday:

Is This Plagiarism? (PaidContent)

Content marketing is a powerful business force, but editors (and marketers alike) need to play it safe. The big risk? Plagiarism — the practice of stealing others’ work and passing it off as your own.

One problem with plagiarism is that it can happen on accident. Violations are less than clear-cut — so where’s the line? If you find yourself asking this question, make sure to check out Churnalism, a new browser extension that aims to detect plagiarism online by checking content against Wikipedia and a database of press releases. Keep in mind, however, that other sources won’t be included in the mix.

Why the Freemium Model Is Bad for Advertisers (AdAge)
It’s no secret that online ads have a bad rap. To make matters worse, businesses are trying to move customers from ‘free’ to ‘paying’ subscribers. The fact is that dual revenue streams are highly appealing (hey, the television industry does it).

Ads aren’t necessarily evil, but it’s hard to justify their existence when they’re spammy, invasive, and all around in-your-face. There’s a balance that needs to be struck, and it’s up to marketers in the ad industry to find it.

AP’s Twitter Account Suspended After Hacking Incident Roils Markets (GigaOM)
In case you haven’t heard, AP was the victim of some serious hacking yesterday. The bandits used this influential Twitter feed to spread some rumors about the White House and President Obama.

The aftermath? A stock market plunge of 1 percent. If you’ve been skeptical of the power of social media, here is the evidence you need. Social media has genuine financial consequences. Don’t mess around.

Coachella Fans: So Hip They Like Bands that Don’t Even Exist (Mashable)
Here’s an interesting experiment from Jimmy Kimmel: interview festival attendees about obscure and ‘awesome’ bands that don’t even exist.

Enjoy your laugh, and remember that it’s all in good fun.