Sharing Is Caring But Copying Is Not

"We live in an attention economy where information overload, trend hypercycles and ever-evolving algorithms have reshaped how we create and consume content. Maximum engagement is the goal, so content needs to feel original and fresh, have a juicy enough hook to stop the scroll, and land fast enough to catch the zeitgeist before the next viral moment takes over."

"Keeping the content machine going is relentless, fuelling a rise in AI slop and brain rot nonsense. Running out of ideas may be a common phenomenon, but copying content isn't the fix. Over the past few months we've watched our own work pop up elsewhere online, from trend-led features lifted almost beat for beat to identikit Instagram captions and reposted exclusives stripped of attribution."

"Intellectual Property (IP) refers to creations of the mind, including things like artistic works, inventions, designs, and brands. There are a number of protections available for people and businesses to protect their IP, ensure they benefit from it, and prevent unauthorised use by others; patents cover inventions, trademarks protect brand logos and names, and copyrights cover creative works, including digital content like website text and social media posts."

"Last week, Instagram boss Adam Mosseri announced the platform will begin penalising accounts that simply copy content in an effort to better support and reward original creators. "Over the next month, we're expanding a policy we already have for Reels to cover photos and carousels too: if you mostly share content from others that you didn't make or meaningfully edit, you""

The attention economy drives content creation toward maximum engagement, requiring originality, strong hooks, and fast timing to capture trends. The constant demand for new material fuels low-quality “AI slop” and repetitive content. Copying is not a solution for running out of ideas, because inspiration can cross into imitation when work is lifted nearly beat for beat, captions are reused, and exclusives are reposted without attribution. Intellectual property includes artistic works, inventions, designs, and brands, with patents, trademarks, and copyrights offering protections. Platforms encourage native sharing, but reuploading and copying are increasingly targeted. Instagram plans to penalize accounts that mostly share content they did not make or did not meaningfully edit.

Read at London On The Inside