MicrostockGroup Sponsors


Author Topic: Real Estate Agent Stole one of my Flickr Images  (Read 17128 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

« Reply #25 on: December 16, 2009, 17:33 »
0
...True.  Even more when it's in the internet, people think everything there is free.

I really wonder why people think just because it's online it must be free...

Unlike a car/bike, it is not seen as a property.  People don't respect intellectual property on things they know there are - music, video, books - how are they expected to know that an image they see online is also protected?


« Reply #26 on: December 16, 2009, 17:48 »
0
...how are they expected to know that an image they see online is also protected?

Well for instance they could think (by using common sense) that someone else in this world must have created this image since it's highly unlikely that images just create themselves or that the internet creates them.

I don't believe that the same people are aware of the term "public domain" either so it's not a case where they have been actually thinking about their actions.

Furthermore, as I mentioned before in other threads the "thieves" (whether they know about their wrongdoings or not) will always claim "I didn't know". If we keep giving everybody the benefit of the doubt we (photographers/illustrators etc.) will eventually not license one image in the future since everybody just steals them and then claims "I didn't know". That can't be a solution either.

And I have yet to find a thief who stole my images who actually offered to pay for a license to use the image.

They all knew what they were doing.

This week alone I found four (4) Zazzle members using my images. Shall I really just let them be and start educating them about what they did wrong or try to get some licensing fees that they should have paid in the first place...?

hqimages

  • www.draiochtwebdesign.com
« Reply #27 on: December 17, 2009, 08:59 »
0
...how are they expected to know that an image they see online is also protected?

Well for instance they could think (by using common sense) that someone else in this world must have created this image since it's highly unlikely that images just create themselves or that the internet creates them.

I don't believe that the same people are aware of the term "public domain" either so it's not a case where they have been actually thinking about their actions.

Furthermore, as I mentioned before in other threads the "thieves" (whether they know about their wrongdoings or not) will always claim "I didn't know". If we keep giving everybody the benefit of the doubt we (photographers/illustrators etc.) will eventually not license one image in the future since everybody just steals them and then claims "I didn't know". That can't be a solution either.

And I have yet to find a thief who stole my images who actually offered to pay for a license to use the image.

They all knew what they were doing.

This week alone I found four (4) Zazzle members using my images. Shall I really just let them be and start educating them about what they did wrong or try to get some licensing fees that they should have paid in the first place...?

Exactly, not knowing the law is not a defense in any country: 'Sorry Officer I didn't KNOW speeding was illegal' etc etc..

« Reply #28 on: December 17, 2009, 09:28 »
0
You can change your settings in Flickr

(In Flickr Preferences Privacy & Permissions:
Who can download your stuff    Only you

"When people are looking at the main display page for one of your photos or a video (e.g.), they will see a button labeled "all sizes" underneath the title. From there, they can download any of the different sizes available, including the original file, unless you choose to prevent it.

Preventing people from downloading something also means that a transparent image will be positioned over the image on the main photo page, which is intended to discourage* people from right-clicking to save, or dragging the image on to their desktop."

Fotonaut

« Reply #29 on: December 17, 2009, 11:01 »
0
Stinkin bastages.
This is why I avoided Flickr for a long time. There's no mistaking he stole it because security is set to give the spaceball.gif so it's a screenshot or something.
Anybody ever have to deal with this? What have you done about it?
Plus some designer just hit me up for using an image in return for "a nice placement of my name on the new site". Yippie. I responded with a quote.

Err ... why have you got images on Flickr? If you're intent on making money through stock I don't understand where Flickr comes in to the plan. You're just setting yourself up for issues such as this with no likelihood of a financial gain. Say 'red' backwards.


This could be counted as one monetary induced reason: http://www.gettyimages.com/Creative/Frontdoor/FlickrPhotos

RacePhoto

« Reply #30 on: December 17, 2009, 13:39 »
0
Stinkin bastages.

This is why I avoided Flickr for a long time. There's no mistaking he stole it because security is set to give the spaceball.gif so it's a screenshot or something.

Anybody ever have to deal with this? What have you done about it?

Plus some designer just hit me up for using an image in return for "a nice placement of my name on the new site". Yippie. I responded with a quote.




Hi Paulie
I had been in a similar situation before where a guy on FLICKER stole my image.

Link for  my image and my comment.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cafecathi/3839201933/#

The moment I found out, I replied in the comment area asking him to take off the photo, he never did. Therefore, I sent an email and a letter to Yahoo.com and they never responded. My image is still under his name. I dont think there is much you can do unfortunately unless you have some sort of copyright and that you can legally ask him to take it off.

Kone



Cafe 07 has an iStock watermark right on it and the same image is on Dreamstime. Can't be more obvious.

« Reply #31 on: December 17, 2009, 13:49 »
0
You're all wasting your time. The "business" is in Vietnam. It's even worse there than in the Philippines. IP doesn't exist there, the authorities don't care. Two weeks ago I saw Windows7 and PS CS4 openly in a mall, for 3$ each.

RacePhoto

« Reply #32 on: December 17, 2009, 17:18 »
0
You're all wasting your time. The "business" is in Vietnam. It's even worse there than in the Philippines. IP doesn't exist there, the authorities don't care. Two weeks ago I saw Windows7 and PS CS4 openly in a mall, for 3$ each.

I noticed that, but it was fun thinking it made a difference?  ::)

I went to Flickr and uploaded my first photo there. Then I looked in the forum for "stolen image" and read the threads until I got bored. Pretty funny how many people complain and point out the images and find that Flickr does nearly nothing. But you can file a complaint form, which asks for all kinds of information and details, and basically makes it a PITA for the person who has been wronged to do anything.

Then I went to the picture section and searched for "stolen image" and wow, what an eyeful.

The final conclusion holds up. If you don't want your pictures stolen, don't put them on Flickr. Or in my case, don't put up anything but CrapStock and humor, that no one would want to steal and claim as their own, for a fraudulent ego boost. Sad but that's about the size of it.

« Reply #33 on: December 17, 2009, 19:17 »
0
This week alone I found four (4) Zazzle members using my images. Shall I really just let them be and start educating them about what they did wrong or try to get some licensing fees that they should have paid in the first place...?

I am not defending infractors, but its is difficult to get more than just having them remove the infringing item, right?  And if the image is on micros, the fine for infringement is probably small, or not?  Is it worth the legal problems?  What if the infractor is abroad?  BBC News still shows the watermarked thumbnail of an image of mine from StockXpert, even if I reported it to StockXpert long ago.  If BBC is not worth sueing, what can you get from a small business?

« Reply #34 on: December 18, 2009, 12:39 »
0

nothing much we can do. a lot of my images are probaly stolen too ,usually i'll just leave it.

Bad idea. Not enforcing your rights just encourages more theft.


lol. i can find plenty of pirated shutterstock image around.

« Reply #35 on: December 18, 2009, 14:15 »
0
Stinkin bastages.

This is why I avoided Flickr for a long time. There's no mistaking he stole it because security is set to give the spaceball.gif so it's a screenshot or something.

Anybody ever have to deal with this? What have you done about it?

Plus some designer just hit me up for using an image in return for "a nice placement of my name on the new site". Yippie. I responded with a quote.




Hi Paulie
I had been in a similar situation before where a guy on FLICKER stole my image.

Link for  my image and my comment.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cafecathi/3839201933/#

The moment I found out, I replied in the comment area asking him to take off the photo, he never did. Therefore, I sent an email and a letter to Yahoo.com and they never responded. My image is still under his name. I dont think there is much you can do unfortunately unless you have some sort of copyright and that you can legally ask him to take it off.

Kone



Cafe 07 has an iStock watermark right on it and the same image is on Dreamstime. Can't be more obvious.



But Yahoo has never done anything to protect our rights.
Many photographers complained about it, and they do not have time to respond to everyone.

Kone

« Reply #36 on: December 18, 2009, 15:48 »
0
This week alone I found four (4) Zazzle members using my images. Shall I really just let them be and start educating them about what they did wrong or try to get some licensing fees that they should have paid in the first place...?

I am not defending infractors, but its is difficult to get more than just having them remove the infringing item, right?  And if the image is on micros, the fine for infringement is probably small, or not?  Is it worth the legal problems?  What if the infractor is abroad?  BBC News still shows the watermarked thumbnail of an image of mine from StockXpert, even if I reported it to StockXpert long ago.  If BBC is not worth sueing, what can you get from a small business?

Madelaide,

I don't think that you defend violators either but we must insist and fight for our right!

Just because an image is sold on the Micros doesn't mean that the damage that has been done is also "small". Neither does it mean that it's "not worth" pursuing the violation.

When I claimed the royalties for a stolen image from Zazzle I did get paid from them so yes it was worth the effort. Maybe it's not working every time like this but I want to encourage everybody not to look away and enforce their royalties and their copyright.

I'm not a lawyer but I recommend to contact one in England and ask for a quick response on your issue with the BBC. Thank god we have email these days which make it quite easy to contact anyone. It's free and it doesn't hurt - worst thing they can say is "No".

Usually lawyers quickly listen up when big companies are involved in a copyright situation. I'm sure there will be some lawyer willing to look into your case.
I've had lawyers in the US take my cases on a contingency basis for less than what your problem is.

Furthermore it is highly recommended to register your copyright. That can make it a lot easier to find a lawyer who would take it on contingency.

« Reply #37 on: December 19, 2009, 12:54 »
0

Hi Paulie
I had been in a similar situation before where a guy on FLICKER stole my image.

Link for  my image and my comment.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/cafecathi/3839201933/#

The moment I found out, I replied in the comment area asking him to take off the photo, he never did. Therefore, I sent an email and a letter to Yahoo.com and they never responded. My image is still under his name. I dont think there is much you can do unfortunately unless you have some sort of copyright and that you can legally ask him to take it off.

Kone



Hmmm, thats odd. Beginning of this year, I caught a user off a social site I was using, Photography-Network, steal about 20 of my photos and numerous photos from other users and post them on flicker.

I posted comments in each of tthe photos calling him a thief and placed links to my photos, wrote my site whick deleted his accout. THan I files a complaint on Flickr, there was a link available for copyright issues leading to thier legal dept. and gave them all the links to prove it. THe images were removed.

THan I followed up where he lived and posted .

II have since found him on flickr again, but, he is keeping it clean.

« Reply #38 on: December 19, 2009, 23:06 »
0
...Hmmm, thats odd. Beginning of this year, I caught a user off a social site I was using, Photography-Network, steal about 20 of my photos and numerous photos from other users and post them on flicker.

I posted comments in each of tthe photos calling him a thief and placed links to my photos, wrote my site whick deleted his accout. THan I files a complaint on Flickr, there was a link available for copyright issues leading to thier legal dept. and gave them all the links to prove it. THe images were removed.

THan I followed up where he lived and posted .

II have since found him on flickr again, but, he is keeping it clean.

Good job! Well done!


 

Related Topics

  Subject / Started by Replies Last post
0 Replies
2808 Views
Last post April 28, 2008, 19:32
by litifeta
33 Replies
11135 Views
Last post January 14, 2014, 18:50
by oxman
6 Replies
2993 Views
Last post October 14, 2014, 14:30
by Jo Ann Snover
10 Replies
3952 Views
Last post November 01, 2015, 17:16
by etudiante_rapide
0 Replies
1604 Views
Last post March 05, 2017, 18:02
by stockastic

Sponsors

Mega Bundle of 5,900+ Professional Lightroom Presets

Microstock Poll Results

Sponsors