# Copyright trap in "Copyright Traps" column? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\ **Created:** [December 6, 1999, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copyright-trap-in-copyright-traps-column/324 "1999-12-06T20:17:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Boris\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@Boris\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boris_B)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 1999, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copyright-trap-in-copyright-traps-column/324/1 "1999-12-06T20:17:00Z")
There is a typo in: [http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4\_165.html](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_165.html) > [@](#): > > For the record, the folks at Rand McNally swear on a stack of road atlases that they would use copyright traps. Come now, they shouldn’t have to swear about it. Can’t they just show us one they used? Just kidding. I think there is a missing “not” in this paragraphy, right before the “use”. The question is, did Cecil leave this out just to catch people plagiarizing him? I post this mainly in jest, but I’m also wondering if columns like this can be edited, or are they cast in stone? I mean, it is a _Classic_ after all … should I report this to somebody? The moderators? The administrator? Adams himself? The FCC? * * * Any similarity in the above text to an English word or phrase is purely coincidental. ---
**Author:** ![whitetho](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whitetho/32/1059_2.png) [@whitetho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/whitetho)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 1999, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copyright-trap-in-copyright-traps-column/324/2 "1999-12-06T20:30:00Z")
This column in included in _The Straight Dope Tells All_, and the word _never_ appears there, so this looks like an editing error exclusive to the web site. I particularly like your idea of reporting this error to the Federal Communications Commission. Preferably the Chairman. Good luck in your endeavors. Let us know how it turns out. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Ryan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7feea3/32.png) [@The\_Ryan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Ryan)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 1999, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copyright-trap-in-copyright-traps-column/324/3 "1999-12-06T20:30:00Z")
I believe that the proper solution would be an addendum. ---
**Author:** ![Mpking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Mpking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mpking)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 1999, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copyright-trap-in-copyright-traps-column/324/4 "1999-12-07T00:03:00Z")
I’m just wondering, like the good natured cynic that I am, if the map companies just say that so they don’t have to admit that they are wrong. ---
**Author:** ![Boris\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/fbc32d/32.png) [@Boris\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boris_B)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 1999, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/copyright-trap-in-copyright-traps-column/324/5 "1999-12-07T20:08:00Z")
Well, I was thinking about reporting it to the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, but I heard he/she’s kinda busy. So I figured the FCC was next on the list. The response I got back from the FCC was, “Look, dude, either you pay your $1.10, or you get off the bus. And I dunno nothin about no map traps. My map is up hear.” At this point the guy tapped his temple. Who’d’ve thought the FCC would have disguised its local office to look like a city bus?