It's not the same AND just because other sites get away with it to some degree, doesn't make it ethical or legal to do. In this particular case Masteryoda is directly profiting without the permission of the original content creators.
If the original content creators were asked ahead of time by @masteryoda "Hey, would you mind if I posted your pictures on my blog and if I make any money on it, can I keep it all for myself?" do you think any of those professional photographers would have agreed to that?
He is hiding behind the "if they original content creators have a problem with it they can ask me to stop". Well, this presumes they can ever know that one has stolen their content and is profiting from it or not. By the time any of them find out, and I doubt any of the owners of the 100 or more links that have been used are aware of their content being profited on are, @masteryoda would have placed the profits away in bitcoin or elsewhere and how does the original content owner verify how much exactly was made? "What the hell is a Steem???" they might say.
Just be honest and look at what has been done with open eyes and not make excuses. This is ill-gotten gains, plain and simple.
How do you know @masteryoda does not have the rights to use the works? There is royalty free for example in several media types like photos, music and video.
If @masteryoda is breaching copyright, then the owners have recourse through the law, Steemit does not need vigelantes acting as judge, jury and executioner.