Modifying articles and the "Duplicate Content" issue.

Would modified articles still be useful for SEO?

[IncomeStream]

Hi,

As mentioned in the title:would modified free articles count as "duplicate content" from a search engine point of view and have a negative effect on search engine ranking?

Would a free article,taken from an online article database and modified, say 20% still count as duplicate content? How does a search engine determine wheather a site is "duplicate content" or not?

Thank you in advance.

[Mod Note - Copyright Issues are a given, let's concentrate on the Duplication Issues. - Woz]

[edited by: Woz at 10:55 pm (utc) on April 30, 2006]
[edit reason] Added Note [/edit]

[LisaWeber]

Yes, in most cases it would, not to mention that it would be a violation of the terms of the free article.

[IncomeStream]

Yes, in most cases it would, not to mention that it would be a violation of the terms of the free article.

Let's say a free article directory would allow an article to be modified.A person publishes the modified version on their website(by modified we will understand rephrasing sentences,adding to the article,etc.)

How could google consider an article that even has rephrased sentences,cut out parts,etc. as duplicate content?

[LisaWeber]

It's possible. I'm not an expert so I won't try to look like one, but I know that software exists that can compare the meaning and similarity of two blocks of information, and I also know that Google once bought a company that creates such software.

[hu12]

>>Let's say a free article directory would allow an article to be modified.

like identifying yourself as the author..

>>How could google consider an article that even has rephrased sentences,cut out parts,etc. as duplicate content

they don't, they call it copyright infringement..

Digital Millennium Copyright Act
[google.com...]

better read here, and be prepared for DMCA complaints
[webmasterworld.com...]

[Woz]

Given that modifying other's articles would be a copyright infringement, lets rephrase the question to get past that issue.

Would modifying your own article by say 20% for use on another self-owned site avoid the duplicate content issue?

Onya
Woz