Regarding the copying and posting of copyright material (cartoons, for instance) online, or anywhere else, without permission, this statement, from Wikipedia, is succinct and accurate:
"Copyright infringement (or copyright violation) is the unauthorized use of material that is covered by copyright law, in a manner that violates one of the copyright owner's exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce or perform the copyrighted work, or to make derivative works."
Recently I, as well as another cartoonist whose rights were equally violated, took up this fine point with Yahoo, whose infringement department (yes, they have one) acknowledged that the point was not only fine, but had the strength of drop-forged steel. The violation was effaced from their pages.
Possibly I haven't enough cockles in my heart, but those that I possess were warmed.
