Website Content - Stolen?

[loub020]

I am in need of some serious advice here. I am at a point where I really don't know what to do.
I started with a new company back in October 2006. We shall call them "Co.A"
Co.A builds and delivers custom made office furniture for another company = Co.B (Co.B does the selling)
Co.B has a website established and has been up for about 7 years. All text and images were orignally done by a hired designer.
Co.A is now wanting to branch out on their own, and start their own line of office furniture.(Co.A will be selling and building - direct from manufacturer is their motto) They no longer want to build for Co.B.
Co.A has hired a GREAT web design company who will be building the database for me to enter in the content. I have been asking the higher ups for information for the text for our new website. They tell me to refer to Co.B's site and grab text from there, since we will be building almost the same products. They say we will change some of the verbage so it is not verbatum. But I just don't feel right about it. Even though we will be changing some of the text, isn't this still copyright infringement? What would you do?
One thing I forgot to mention...
I am not able to write my own text as I am new to this company and the products being built. So I really don't know much about the desks except for what was written on Co.B's website.
(ps. these are not your regular desks. They have a mechinism built in so your computer screen flips up out of the desk top when you pull open the keyboard)
I have mentioned the words "copyright infringement" to my bosses, but they seem to think it is not stealing because they will change some of the words. Their main reasoning is that we are building the same products, and there is only so much you can say.
I don't want to lose my job, so if I do what they tell me, will I be the one solely in trouble if Co.B finds out we are copying their content?

[dharrison]

Hi Loub

Is Company A and Company B parent/sister companies or merely a customer's site?

If it is the latter, then don't even go there. You are correct it is infringement of copyright and they will cotton on eventually that their content has been copied in some way. I am sure your company would rather avoid any legal stuff, especially if Company b is a major company that has the money to throw at legal issues!

As far as responsibility goes, it would probably be the company as opposed to the individual who gets in trouble, but having said that, that won't stop your company in turn blaming you.

Its a bit of a trivial matter to worry about putting your job in jeopardy. They would probably thank you for being conscientious.

As a suggestion, why can't someone who is in the know at your company write the content? In any case, your site's content should be unique. Covering: what you do? What makes your company stand out from all the other desk companies around? What do you offer? What good feedback have you had from satisfied customers?

I sincerely hope this helps.

[loub020]

Thanks for your advice. Every bit helps. =)
Company B is a customer of the Company I work for - CoA. But of course will no longer be a customer, instead, competition.
The thing about the company I now work for is that they are a family business. The owner's are brothers, and their brother-in-law is the GM and Head of Sales. They are new to selling. They honestly don't think CoB will do anything to them. Call it naive I guess? They have been a manufacturer for Company B for several years. I had suggested, and figured, that the owner's would be writing up the desk descriptions, as they have been building them for so long. However, they have a procrastination problem. One that I hope does not put the company in jeopardy. I am still waiting for my office to be built, which was promised back in October when I was hired. They haven't even built the desk prototypes yet.(and they want the web designer to have the site up Feb 1 -- haha!) So, how can I write about something that isn't built? We are trying to make our product slightly different - better - than CoB. But - there has been more talk and less action. What have I gotten myself into????

[dharrison]

Definitely what have you got yourself into? They sound like one of my ex-employers. :)

Customer or competitor - to think that they won't do anything is off the top mark of the naivety scale. And are they really prepared to risk finding out whether co B will take any action or not?

They sound a bit dismissive that they are not aware what a website could do for them. They should be investing the time/money to come up with something that potential customers will love and will equally knock the competition's socks off.

HTH

[incrediblehelp]

So your building custom products and your own company does not want to take the time and hire/employ someone to write great copy for the website? Reality check time...