They have said over and over again, there are no rules against this. I agree.
There are also no rules against posting about it.
The decentralized block chain, works all directions.
Thank you again for posting this information. I have some accounts that I have also noticed following the same pattern.
Right. I agree with it as well.
However, the lack of coding that would prevent this (if it was even possible) doesn't mean that it's socially acceptable or beneficial for the platform. There's nothing in the code that prevents plagiarism either, but it's still not an accepted practice. I really don't understand how exclaiming, "It's not in the code!" is a legitimate excuse to participate in harmful behavior.
There is another factor here, none of this would be AS important if it wasn't being done by the handful of people who can make a difference in earnings. You have 100+ votes and less than a dollar. I have a post right now with nearly 60 votes making 20 cents.
Beyond that, as you eluded to, it really hurts the reputation of SteemIt and our chance to be successful. Not just as individuals but as a platform overall.