Author Topic: It's DP a safe place for our photos? (Read 2225 times)

Mr Korn Flakes · « **on:** November 01, 2011, 05:57 »

I'm about to join DepositPhotos, the only thing that's telling me to not do that it's the rumor about the connection with a piracy site.
I know there is only one person (or maybe just a little more) complaining about that in a topic, and that complaint it's about one year ago; but it's still bothering me.
What can you say about it? It's DP a safe place or not?

rubyroo · « **Reply #1 on:** November 01, 2011, 06:07 »

I honestly don't know, but I can't get past that question mark in my own mind, so I haven't uploaded there.

Microbius · « **Reply #2 on:** November 01, 2011, 06:09 »

To be honest I don't know. Here is the link to the thread where it was all discussed.
http://www.microstockgroup.com/new-sites-general/discussion-for-those-submitting-to-depositphotos/25/
The main things that worry me are the way they seemed to really push their business being based in the US then a bit of searching showed that they actually just have a PO box with an incorporating company in Florida.
It's hard to trust someone when you literally don't know where they are or who they are and they don't seem to want to tell you.

It's also odd the way first time posters seem to appear whenever they are discussed to stand up for them.

In a business where trust is very important it seems to me you need someone to be more open and transparent before you can trust them with your work.

Microbius · « **Reply #3 on:** November 01, 2011, 06:10 »

how funny! you posted while I was typing with the same opener!!

rubyroo · « **Reply #4 on:** November 01, 2011, 06:11 »

Spooky!

cclapper · « **Reply #5 on:** November 01, 2011, 08:08 »

Quote from: rubyroo on November 01, 2011, 06:07

I honestly don't know, but I can't get past that question mark in my own mind, so I haven't uploaded there.

Same here.

fujiko · « **Reply #6 on:** November 01, 2011, 08:11 »

What I have noticed is that pirates download from sites like SS, IS or PD. Not from DP.

cclapper · « **Reply #7 on:** November 01, 2011, 08:12 »

Quote from: fujiko on November 01, 2011, 08:11

What I have noticed is that pirates download from sites like SS, IS or PD. Not from DP.

Pirates seem to get their material from everywhere. Non-exclusive, exclusive, no one is safe anymore. But I sure wouldn't send images to a site who was known to be affiliated in the past with a pirate site.

fujiko · « **Reply #8 on:** November 01, 2011, 08:32 »

Quote from: cclapper on November 01, 2011, 08:12

Quote from: fujiko on November 01, 2011, 08:11
What I have noticed is that pirates download from sites like SS, IS or PD. Not from DP.

Pirates seem to get their material from everywhere. Non-exclusive, exclusive, no one is safe anymore. But I sure wouldn't send images to a site who was known to be affiliated in the past with a pirate site.

Wouldn't it be good if pirates realized that it's much better to be legal?
If DP is really connected to pirate files, I prefer they succeed in this legal venture instead of failing. Their success can be a way to tell other sites that legal is the way.

One funny thing about pirates and piracy, is that any person, company or country affiliated with such activity does it only until the legal way is more profitable. And this has happened over all history. People disregard IP until they create IP, then they want to protect it. China is the most recent example of this. They are starting right now to create their own brands, their own IP and also starting to hunt down piracy, to protect the new brands and IP.

That said, uploading or not, it's a personal decision.

cclapper · « **Reply #9 on:** November 01, 2011, 08:40 »

Quote from: fujiko on November 01, 2011, 08:32

Wouldn't it be good if pirates realized that it's much better to be legal?
If DP is really connected to pirate files, I prefer they succeed in this legal venture instead of failing. Their success can be a way to tell other sites that legal is the way.

One funny thing about pirates and piracy, is that any person, company or country affiliated with such activity does it only until the legal way is more profitable. And this has happened over all history. People disregard IP until they create IP, then they want to protect it. China is the most recent example of this. They are starting right now to create their own brands, their own IP and also starting to hunt down piracy, to protect the new brands and IP.

That said, uploading or not, it's a personal decision.

That's a good point, but I personally believe that if a person has no conscience and is ok with stealing people's property and selling it for a profit, they just don't change their character suddenly. Going legal, as you have also pointed out, means that they can also tap the market of people who feel that stealing is wrong. In other words, they are still thieves (allegedly), they have just found a way to increase their market share. It is ALL motivated by money, NOT by changing their character and wanting to do the right thing. Just like istock, it's all about the profits...not about truth or honesty or ethics.

But as you say, everyone can make their own decision.

Mr Korn Flakes · « **Reply #10 on:** November 01, 2011, 09:43 »

Is DP still connected to the pirate site?
Anyway, the fact that they hide their physical location it's too suspicious. I think I will not join them.

fujiko · « **Reply #11 on:** November 01, 2011, 10:37 »

Quote from: cclapper on November 01, 2011, 08:40

That's a good point, but I personally believe that if a person has no conscience and is ok with stealing people's property and selling it for a profit, they just don't change their character suddenly. Going legal, as you have also pointed out, means that they can also tap the market of people who feel that stealing is wrong. In other words, they are still thieves (allegedly), they have just found a way to increase their market share. It is ALL motivated by money, NOT by changing their character and wanting to do the right thing. Just like istock, it's all about the profits...not about truth or honesty or ethics.

But as you say, everyone can make their own decision.

I never said it was a character change or that it had anything to do with ethics, honesty and morality.
You are absolutely right, it's always for profit.
Piracy is profitable to a point and is always behind of creativity, creating or managing IP in the legal way is much more profitable and can grow much more than piracy.

daveh900 · « **Reply #12 on:** November 02, 2011, 00:59 »

I have had decent sales and no issues with DepositPhotos.

FWIW, DepositFiles is not necessarily a "pirate" site, it is a file hosting site that specializes in hosting large files. Those files tend to be things like music, movies, software. DepositFiles isn't in the piracy business, but they do enable it.

They aren't going to take your images and give them away in some virtual back alley. They are in the business of selling your images, not pirating them.

As for the "pirates", as fujiko stated, they'll steal your images from where ever you post them.

sharpshot · « **Reply #13 on:** November 02, 2011, 03:32 »

There is a big problem if DepositFiles are allowing people to give away stolen images for free. Its a big dilemma for me because most people don't seem in the least bit concerned about this and DepositPhotos is doing well. I did start uploading a few more images but I can't get enthusiastic about DP until something is done about this. All they need to do is get someone removing the images that are being illegally downloaded with DepositFiles, is that too much to ask?

helix7 · « **Reply #14 on:** November 03, 2011, 16:10 »

Whether or not to participate in DP is a decision everyone has to make on their own. There's a clear connection between DepositPhotos and DepositFiles, namely Dmitry Sergeev. No doubt the companies are connected in other ways as well. Nowadays I'm sure that Dimitry and company are trying to keep DP on the up-and-up, maintaining a legitimate business and all. And I'm sure that for everyone involved, it's a legit deal and no reason to suspect otherwise. Aside from hearing about DP stiffing a contracted graphic designer for some completed work, I haven't heard of DP screwing over artists in any way.

For me it's a moral objection. I've had to send DMCA takedown requests to DF in the past to have my stock images removed from their site, and I'm not about to jump in bed with those same folks, even if their new business is 100% clean and legal. And trust me, my moral compass doesn't always point due north (I'm still with istock and vectorstock). But everyone has to draw their own line in the sand somewhere, and DP is where mine is.

I'm not about to help the same folks who profited from enabling the piracy of my work, regardless of the fact that maybe DP itself is a morally upstanding company.

FD · « **Reply #15 on:** November 03, 2011, 20:53 »

Quote from: helix7 on November 03, 2011, 16:10

For me it's a moral objection.

Basically, Tony Soprano was in the waste management business (too), and I'm sure his garbage collectors did a great job.

YadaYadaYada · « **Reply #16 on:** November 13, 2011, 19:22 »

Quote from: AttilaTheNun on November 03, 2011, 20:53

Quote from: helix7 on November 03, 2011, 16:10
For me it's a moral objection.

Basically, Tony Soprano was in the waste management business (too), and I'm sure his garbage collectors did a great job.

Same owners and swisstock is a photo site, http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000082205361 Swisstock Photo Bank – is an international Internet portal, that grants the possibility of demonstration and promotion of creative works as photos, paintings, illustrations etc., made by billions of creative minds.

sam100 · « **Reply #17 on:** November 14, 2011, 03:19 »

Quote from: helix7 on November 03, 2011, 16:10

Whether or not to participate in DP is a decision everyone has to make on their own. There's a clear connection between DepositPhotos and DepositFiles, namely Dmitry Sergeev. No doubt the companies are connected in other ways as well. Nowadays I'm sure that Dimitry and company are trying to keep DP on the up-and-up, maintaining a legitimate business and all. And I'm sure that for everyone involved, it's a legit deal and no reason to suspect otherwise. Aside from hearing about DP stiffing a contracted graphic designer for some completed work, I haven't heard of DP screwing over artists in any way.

For me it's a moral objection. I've had to send DMCA takedown requests to DF in the past to have my stock images removed from their site, and I'm not about to jump in bed with those same folks, even if their new business is 100% clean and legal. And trust me, my moral compass doesn't always point due north (I'm still with istock and vectorstock). But everyone has to draw their own line in the sand somewhere, and DP is where mine is.

I'm not about to help the same folks who profited from enabling the piracy of my work, regardless of the fact that maybe DP itself is a morally upstanding company.

Well spoken, i share your thoughts and principles.

Patrick H.

michaeldb · « **Reply #18 on:** November 14, 2011, 14:01 »

We all know that threats of punishment don't seem to have much effect on big time pirates, most of whom live in countries where IP rights are weak. Probably in the long run the best way to bring infringers over from the dark side is if they can make more money by selling IP than by stealing it.

Maybe that is what is going on here?

MikLav · « **Reply #19 on:** November 14, 2011, 14:10 »

Be realistic - there is no safe place for your photos while they are in internet. Regardless DP there are tons of photos pirated from the other stock sites.

Serious customers will never use pirated pictures; and those who do use them wouldn't have paid anyway so most of the time pirated pictures aren't truly a "missed income".

It is indeed very unpleasant to see your photos available for free and I support the idea of making the life of pirates difficult wherever possible - but I am realistic and I am not going to spend any significant efforts for that.

As I see from various copyright-related incidents, in reality it's easier to go after illegal use when found one, rather than trying to fight with the windmills.

michaeldb · « **Reply #20 on:** November 14, 2011, 14:21 »

Quote from: MikLav on November 14, 2011, 14:10

Serious customers will never use pirated pictures; and those who do use them wouldn't have paid anyway so most of the time pirated pictures aren't truly a "missed income".

This is a crucial truth which many of us fail to understand. Copyright infringement is not really considered to be 'theft' under the law because there is no 'loss of use'. If you steal my car, I cannot use it; if you copy my image, I still have the image. I have only suffered a loss only if the copier, or someone he give the image to, would have otherwise paid me money to use the image if circumstances were different.

We who make money from royalties only do so because real businesses in 'civilized' countries are afraid to use our intellectual property without paying us for licenses. We will make more money when there are more such businesses in more countries. Piracy may be relatively irrelevant.