Are my breaking the law?

Hi

Genuine question are my breaking the law? If so I will stop immediately. I use RSS plugins to pull source to website, for example the Automatic plugin, I keep the author and link back to the website its from. I dont really like doing it as I am not sure if I am allowed.

I pull stories from my local newspaper and they have contacted me to stop doing it due to lack of traffic to there website.

So if I used another plugin which spins the source changing bits I find this even more dodgy as it is point blank taking someone’s work and not putting there name on it.

So are my breaking any laws when I do this, I can remove it no problem just want to know.

Thanks.