Quote from: fullvalue on May 18, 2010, 08:11

...Let's say I design a website that uses 6 images.  Do I need to provide proof now to 6 photographers?

So some of us are contributing to 10, 15 or more agencies. So if we have reason to believe that a company is reproducing/reselling our images we are supposed to write an email to all agencies trying to figure out who sold it to that company (sometimes the agencies don't even know because they sold it to the designer and not the actual company) or me contacting the company directly, verifying if they acquired the appropriate license for it.

Here my suggestion if you're really worried about defending your copyrights, stop uploading to 10 or more agencies. 

Quote from: click_click on May 18, 2010, 08:45

Quote from: fullvalue on May 18, 2010, 08:11

...Let's say I design a website that uses 6 images.  Do I need to provide proof now to 6 photographers?

So some of us are contributing to 10, 15 or more agencies. So if we have reason to believe that a company is reproducing/reselling our images we are supposed to write an email to all agencies trying to figure out who sold it to that company (sometimes the agencies don't even know because they sold it to the designer and not the actual company) or me contacting the company directly, verifying if they acquired the appropriate license for it.

Here my suggestion if you're really worried about defending your copyrights, stop uploading to 10 or more agencies. 

Good point.  Defending copyrights and working with many different agencies is practically impossible.

.

In simple terms - if I have 3 ELs on an image but I see it on sale on 10 different web sites on 10 different products then I have reason to believe that something is fishy.

I think Digital66 is probably correct here - it is not easy to make a determination as to whether an image has been licensed from a micro site - and if you call a company out on your web site, and you are wrong, you may be opening yourself up to a libel suit.

Well said^^.  

I don't see how you can be 100% sure it was used illegally, and if you aren't, then you are taking quite a risk accusing them on your blog.  

Not to mention the chance that publicly accusing people who use your images of copyright violation might chase away other potential clients.  (I know the risk is slight, but still something to consider)

If everyone of you believe that it's not even worth asking questions when it comes to ELs when in doubt more power to you - I did recover lost royalties that way and think it was my right to do so.

Probably I misunderstood your first post.  I didn't realize it was about "asking questions".  I had thought it was about publicly accusing companies of violating your copyrights without having any proof they did so.  I must have misinterpreted this:

Do you think it's ok for me to post screen shots of companies using my image without a license on my blog to show everyone online (possibly their clients) their business ethics?

As for asking questions, sure, why not?  It would take an awful lot of research going to each site you submit to and finding out who licensed the image and under what terms, but if you have the time to devote to such exhaustive research then that's your prerogative.  

On the issue of publicly accusing companies on your blog, without proof, well that would be really really self-destructive, for all the reasons mentioned in this thread.

That's just an opinion - which you did ask for in your OP.  Or did I misunderstand that too?  

Quote from: click_click on May 18, 2010, 13:19

If everyone of you believe that it's not even worth asking questions when it comes to ELs when in doubt more power to you - I did recover lost royalties that way and think it was my right to do so.

Probably I misunderstood your first post.  I didn't realize it was about "asking questions".  I had thought it was about publicly accusing companies of violating your copyrights without having any proof they did so.  I must have misinterpreted this:

Quote from: click_click on May 17, 2010, 18:41

Do you think it's ok for me to post screen shots of companies using my image without a license on my blog to show everyone online (possibly their clients) their business ethics?

As for asking questions, sure, why not?  It would take an awful lot of research going to each site you submit to and finding out who licensed the image and under what terms, but if you have the time to devote to such exhaustive research then that's your prerogative.  

On the issue of publicly accusing companies on your blog, without proof, well that would be really really self-destructive, for all the reasons mentioned in this thread.

That's just an opinion - which you did ask for in your OP.  Or did I misunderstand that too?  

Lisa,
I'm having a hard time keeping up to respond to various posts and answers here.

First, I wanted to hear if it's ok to post screen shots of companies that are infringing my copyright.  Yes.
I still want to know that.

But quickly the discussion ran into the issue of how I am supposed to determine if it's legally "safe" to do that - or not.

Again, I have to emphasize this:

I do not want to publicly expose companies using my images on their web site.

I do not want to publicly expose companies using my images on products for resale after I had EL licenses sold.

I only wanted to know if you think it is ok to post screen shots of a company who has sold items with my images on there without purchasing a license. Given that I have proof (talking to company owners admitting they failed to purchase the image in the first place or in another way that proofs that the company is not allowed to use the images).

It's technically not really that complicated what I'm asking.

I understand that I would lean myself far out of the window simply posting every web site using one of my images and claiming they stole it.

I have no intention to do so.

I hope this clarifies it a little bit.

A usage license?  A year ago I bought a license from BS and some others from 123RF for a website I designed.  But all I got were the images.  Never a License usage document.   I don't even remember if I ever received a receipt or something.  

This is something I always wanted to know.  I expected that a buyer would have at least to click somewhere to say he agrees with the license restrictions.  Your statement shows that the buyer doesn't need to know anything, and probably he doesn't - even if he had to click, the license terms are always too long, and I'm sure people just click "I agree" or whatever.  Do you read the EULA in the software you install?

It's not surprising that images are redistributed, used in PODs and etc. Most people probably he no idea they can not do it - what doesn't make them less guilty, of course.

I only wanted to know if you think it is ok to post screen shots of a company who has sold items with my images on there without purchasing a license. Given that I have proof (talking to company owners admitting they failed to purchase the image in the first place or in another way that proofs that the company is not allowed to use the images).

(snip)

I hope this clarifies it a little bit.

Yes, it does. 

If they admitted they didn't pay for the image then I don't see any harm in publicly shaming them.  Would probably also look for a cheap lawyer to send them a letter and maybe a bill too, for the time they have used the image without permission. 

Well I'm glad to hear all your input regarding this question.

I will not post any of this on my blog just because of legal reasons and I need to stay 100% on the safe side. I can't take the risk of a company actually paying a lawyer to force me to take the material down. THAT would be a time waster.

Additionally, I have read some opinions that I was very surprised about.

For instance that there are contributors who (for whatever reasons like lack of time etc.) do not enforce their copyright.

Speaking for myself, in 90% of the cases that I encounter, that turn out to be copyright infringement, the infringing party complies with my demands and/or paid me lost royalties.

Interestingly, and this is why I was so surprised about some of the reactions to this thread, every single time I contacted a suspicious web site, it always turned out to be a stolen image. Every single time. Not one time I had anybody tell me that they actually purchased the image.

While I have accepted that copyright infringement is a significant part of our work (and loss of income as well) I still do have some sort of impact/leverage when it comes to protecting my copyright. When I have the time to verify I'll do it but naturally I couldn't be doing it all the time.

Thanks for all your responses.

Another point: sometimes a single voice can do a lot of echo, to the point something is done.

Recently Nestl� launched here a new product, a chocolate-flavoured milk named "Alpino".  I don't know if you have the "Alpino" chocolates there, but it is a very tasty chocolate.  Nestl� says in their advertisement something like "The flavour of Alpino chocolate in a bottle".  One person complained through twitter or whatever that the "Alpino" milk doesn't taste like the "Alpino" chocolate at all.  The thing grew like a snowball, ended in the news, and some judge ordered Nestl� to remove it from the market.