Open letter highlights urgency to address acts of plagiarism

More than 100 film industry workers issued an open letter last week calling on the public to boycott a filmmaker surnamed Yu and a writer surnamed Guo over plagiarism issues. In the letter, they also criticized TV stations and internet companies for providing plagiarists a platform.

The two figures in the eye of the storm have chosen to remain silent while their programs are still being aired by relevant TV stations and available on various internet platforms.

The two have a plagiarizing history. Guo lost a copyright lawsuit in 2006 and Yu in 2014. Although both paid compensation to the copyright owners for their losses in the said cases — Guo paid 10,000 yuan ($1,530) in compensation and Yu 336,000 yuan — the damages to be paid are abysmally low when compared with the exorbitant money they have made through plagiarizing Also, neither of them has issued a public apology for the act of plagiarism as they are required to by the court.

And despite the lawsuits, Yu and Guo have achieved tremendous “business” success in their respective fields.

While it is right for those who have written the open letter to suggest that plagiarists should not end up becoming role models, they have not provided any new evidence to suggest that Yu and Guo are still indulging in acts of plagiarism.

In the absence of evidence, the open letter ends up establishing a stereotyped image of the two, and makes one wonder if it was prompted by the duo’s rising stardom and fortunes.

The two, therefore, have every right to defend their reputation through legal means.

On the other hand, it is good to see the newly revised Copyright Law that will come into force on June 1 next year raising the upper limit of compensation for copyright infringement to 5 million yuan. That will help deter potential plagiarists from stealing other’s intellectual properties.