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Author Topic: Yet Another Infringement!  (Read 16479 times)

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« on: October 13, 2010, 21:18 »
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IMPORTANT EDIT: Thanks to forum members who contributed to this thread we have managed to spot two infringers "Brandzela" and "Artcome" as well as raising concerns about many suspicious images. We have found out that some of Christos Georghiou's zodiac images are removed by SS admins. Please correct that mistake as Christos Georghiou is one of the original artists who had his work stolen by the infringers.

ORIGINAL THREAD BELOW:
I have just come across this portfolio by coincidence when checking for something else. I wonder how much money does this person managed to steal from other artists before I noticed it.
Here is the suspicious portfolio: http://www.shutterstock.com/results.mhtml#gallery_id=304654

And this is why I think it is a corrupt port: http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-61874917.html This image is not original at all. This person stole pieces of my artwork (and other artists too) to create the above shame for himself.

Here is my original artwork: http://www.shutterstock.com/results.mhtml#photo_id=11371405&src=null
Now tell me he/she did not steal the cancer, scorpio, pisces signs!
Here are other artists original images which I believed this person used so he/she can create the final stolen masterpiece:
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-4665649.html
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-13792822.html

There are elements in all those 3 images that were used to create this fake BS: http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-61874917.html
Please check his/her port to find out if your images are used by this person as well. I am hoping not, but what I discovered can not be a good sign.
« Last Edit: October 16, 2010, 08:12 by cidepix »


« Reply #1 on: October 13, 2010, 21:23 »
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If thats the case, I hope SS shuts them down. That's just all kinds of wrong. Glad you found it and it's resolved quickly.

« Reply #2 on: October 13, 2010, 21:29 »
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Found one more: http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-61616965.html

This guy must be having a good laugh. Quite brave of himself putting the elements he stole from me into that image.

« Reply #3 on: October 14, 2010, 02:32 »
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Found one more: http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-61616965.html

This guy must be having a good laugh. Quite brave of himself putting the elements he stole from me into that image.


you should google the name that same person has other ports none with your images but you may want to watch what they do.

Microbius

« Reply #4 on: October 14, 2010, 02:50 »
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There's more to it than that too. If you look at the bottom of this page you will see that both this artist and loads of others have taken some of the signs from the font here:
http://www.mysundial.ca/ThinkStock/the_zodiac.html
I had a better link to the original font and contacted SS about it ages ago but the had no interest in taking the offenders down at all.

Also looks like this one that stole your work: http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-61874917.html
Also stole aeries from this one:
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-48488860/stock-photo-illustration-representing-aries-the-ram-star-or-birth-sign-includes-the-symbol-or-icon-in-the.html

ETA: I think rather than being original images two of the files you mentioned (not yours) are just a direct copy of the font I mentioned above. The person who stole your work, and other contributors' work, also uploaded elements from the same font as these two did (in fact if you compare the two files you reference you'll see that there elements are pretty much identical to each other):
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-4665649.html
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-13792822.html

There's quite a few other images using this font on SS
ETA 2:
another:
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-52916500/stock-vector-set-of-zodiac-icons.html
ETA 3:
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-56474347/stock-vector-horoscope-sings.html
ANOTHER
ETA 4:
AND ANOTHER
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-51634315/stock-vector-zodiac-sign-icon-vector.html

AND This guy stole his cancer crab:
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-50774689/stock-vector-zodiac-signs-vector-isolated.html
From this guy:
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-7556566/stock-vector-crab-monochrome-vector-illustration-of-a-stylised-crab.html

AND ANOTHER
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-52327111/stock-vector-digital-collage-of-six-black-and-white-round-horoscope-zodiac-signs-libra-scorpio-sagittarius.html
« Last Edit: October 14, 2010, 08:29 by Microbius »

Microbius

« Reply #5 on: October 14, 2010, 03:02 »
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.
« Last Edit: October 14, 2010, 03:04 by Microbius »

Microbius

« Reply #6 on: October 14, 2010, 03:09 »
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ETA 5 don't think I've included this series yet, again all from that same font:
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-17592427/stock-photo-button-with-the-zodiacal-sign-virgo.html
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-17592394/stock-photo-button-with-the-zodiacal-sign-aquarius.html

I do hope SS can bother their asses to get these portfolios removed, if not those ripping off the font (though I don't see why not as they clearly infringe policy as they are not the uploaders work) then at least the ones that directly steal from other contributors.

I'm really starting to hate Shutterstock. If I can find that many problems in 20 odd minutes then why are the admins not picking this sh*t up. What the heck are we paying these people for? If your site is that proliferated with dubious stuff you need to employ someone whose job it is to just go through library and find these violations.

It's bad enough that SS is the number one place for thieves to download work, without it turning out to be the number one place for them to fence their stolen goods too!
« Last Edit: October 14, 2010, 03:20 by Microbius »


« Reply #8 on: October 14, 2010, 05:40 »
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It's bad enough that SS is the number one place for thieves to download work, without it turning out to be the number one place for them to fence their stolen goods too!

Does it happen often? I mean, that copyright problems like this are neglected by SS management?

Microbius

« Reply #9 on: October 14, 2010, 06:14 »
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Think about how many other violations are picked up by people on this forum whenever a subject category is looked into. Seems to me that it's rife, and that the admin staff at SS have no interest in looking out for it till it is reported by us. Again what do we pay them for? You'd hope that insuring the integrity of their collection is a pretty basic part of providing a library of images. How long are legitimate sales going to continue when word gets out that you can't trust licenses for use provided on Shutterstock? If their end doesn't give them enough money to employ admin staff to take care of it, them frankly they are undercharging for their subs.

ETA to be clear I am talking only about violations within SS here, not the stuff we've talked about before, where people buy subs to steal work and sell/ distribute it outside of shutterstock.
« Last Edit: October 14, 2010, 07:51 by Microbius »

« Reply #10 on: October 14, 2010, 07:23 »
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Think about how many other violations are picked up by people on this forum whenever a subject category is looked into. Seems to me that it's rife, and that the admin staff at SS have no interest in looking out for it till it is reported by us. Again what do we pay them for? You'd hope that insuring the integrity of their collection is a pretty basic part of providing a library of images. How long are legitimate sales going to continue when word gets out that you can't trust licenses for use provided on Shutterstock? If their end doesn't give them enough money to employ admin staff to take care of it, them frankly they are undercharging for their subs.

I totally agree with what you are saying. But in their defense, they do have people who look into these things. Frankly, it is overwhelming, the number of thieves that are stealing and reselling our work. I am almost to the same point that lisafx is at...don't even bother looking. All it does is make me mad, then I start thinking what is the point and I just want to quit shooting. And that is not the right way to think about it. Selling microstock still supplements my income, and I need that.

I do think the sites respond but it's kind of like the drug war. So out of hand, even one little victory seems like a drop in the bucket. Squash one cockroach, and a million more are right behind it. We just need to keep reporting as often and as loud as we can.

Microbius

« Reply #11 on: October 14, 2010, 07:50 »
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I agree in terms of people stealing work and using/ distributing it outside the sites, but stealing from other people on the site and selling it on the same site, Shutterstock seem pretty pathetic at doing anything about catching that. Look how easy it is for us to find multiple infringements every time we look for them. Compare the integrity of their collection to IStock, Dreamstime or Fotolia (as much as I hate to say anything good about IStock right now). They don't even compare.

Anyway, I don't want to derail this thread too badly, lets just hope they can be bothered to sort out this problem, at least in the case of the two people that have stolen from other members.

(on a side note, if someone has sold work that infringes another members copyright, does the money get transferred to the wronged party's account or do SS pocket the dosh after freezing or deactivating the infringing portfolio? if the latter, it might start to explain why they aren't keener to stop this stuff happening)

Microbius

« Reply #12 on: October 14, 2010, 08:00 »
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Microbius

« Last Edit: October 14, 2010, 08:15 by Microbius »

« Reply #14 on: October 14, 2010, 08:20 »
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Brandzela is the nickname this guy has on SS.

And these are his accounts on other sites:
http://www.dreamstime.com/Brandzela_portfolio_pg1

http://depositphotos.com/portfolio.php?id=1008165

http://www.pixmac.com/author/brandzela@dt?page_num=1

I couldn't find the images with stolen figures on these other sites but just posting it so you guys can check if your work is stolen as well.. Apart from SS, I did not see my vectors being used in his port.

« Reply #15 on: October 14, 2010, 08:27 »
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I agree in terms of people stealing work and using/ distributing it outside the sites, but stealing from other people on the site and selling it on the same site, Shutterstock seem pretty pathetic at doing anything about catching that. Look how easy it is for us to find multiple infringements every time we look for them. Compare the integrity of their collection to IStock, Dreamstime or Fotolia (as much as I hate to say anything good about IStock right now). They don't even compare.

Anyway, I don't want to derail this thread too badly, lets just hope they can be bothered to sort out this problem, at least in the case of the two people that have stolen from other members.

(on a side note, if someone has sold work that infringes another members copyright, does the money get transferred to the wronged party's account or do SS pocket the dosh after freezing or deactivating the infringing portfolio? if the latter, it might start to explain why they aren't keener to stop this stuff happening)

Agreed. It seems like vector art is so easy for people to steal, make a small change, and re-upload it, thinking they now have derivative art they can call their own. It should be policed more carefully on SS and all the sites for that matter.

Regarding the bolded part...since I personally have twice received payments in the hundreds from Shutterstock when a client accidentally did NOT buy an extended license for images they purchased and they should have, (this has been reported by other contributors,too) I have to believe that SS is above-board on this. They didn't have to refund that EL money and we likely would have never known the difference. That being said, the worse the economy gets, the greater the increase in wrong-doing is likely to happen. I still prefer to believe that SS is nothing but very professional and has been since day one for me, since Oct. 2005.

« Reply #16 on: October 14, 2010, 08:30 »
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Wow Microbius! Just wow! You did a great job. So many infringements. I will notify SS support about this thread. I hope a few more people does so these thieves can be punished. I am sure their ports are full of these infringements. Do they think if they modify other artists' works enough, they get the right to sell them.

Same violations in that persons most popular file:

http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-50036368/stock-vector-zodiac-constellation-clock.html

ETA and here: http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-49535968/stock-vector-zodiac.html

ETA 2 AND here:
original:
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-7556566/stock-vector-crab-monochrome-vector-illustration-of-a-stylised-crab.html
Stolen:
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-51400312/stock-vector-old-medallion-of-zodiac-sign-cancer.html

ETA 3 AND HERE:
Original:
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-28821397/stock-vector-illustration-representing-sagittarius-the-archer-star-or-birth-sign-includes-the-symbol-or-icon-in.html
Stolen:
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-51400330/stock-vector-old-medallion-of-zodiac-sign-sagittarius.html

ETA 4, never mind, had enough of doing their job for them *sigh* could someone please refer SS admin to this thread/ let the artists know, I'm anonymous here so don't really want to give my ID away!

Microbius

« Reply #17 on: October 14, 2010, 09:25 »
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Thanks Cidepix, only thing is you start to get ulcers when you search for infringements on shutterstock for too long, it's just so depressing.
The fact that the infringer's portfolios are missing all/ most of the problem images on the other sites gives some idea of the difference in enforcement standards between Shutterstock and the other micros.
« Last Edit: October 14, 2010, 09:46 by Microbius »

Microbius

« Reply #18 on: October 14, 2010, 11:09 »
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I agree in terms of people stealing work and using/ distributing it outside the sites, but stealing from other people on the site and selling it on the same site, Shutterstock seem pretty pathetic at doing anything about catching that. Look how easy it is for us to find multiple infringements every time we look for them. Compare the integrity of their collection to IStock, Dreamstime or Fotolia (as much as I hate to say anything good about IStock right now). They don't even compare.

Anyway, I don't want to derail this thread too badly, lets just hope they can be bothered to sort out this problem, at least in the case of the two people that have stolen from other members.

(on a side note, if someone has sold work that infringes another members copyright, does the money get transferred to the wronged party's account or do SS pocket the dosh after freezing or deactivating the infringing portfolio? if the latter, it might start to explain why they aren't keener to stop this stuff happening)

Agreed. It seems like vector art is so easy for people to steal, make a small change, and re-upload it, thinking they now have derivative art they can call their own. It should be policed more carefully on SS and all the sites for that matter.

Regarding the bolded part...since I personally have twice received payments in the hundreds from Shutterstock when a client accidentally did NOT buy an extended license for images they purchased and they should have, (this has been reported by other contributors,too) I have to believe that SS is above-board on this. They didn't have to refund that EL money and we likely would have never known the difference. That being said, the worse the economy gets, the greater the increase in wrong-doing is likely to happen. I still prefer to believe that SS is nothing but very professional and has been since day one for me, since Oct. 2005.
Easy way to find out, Cidepix, could you let us know if SS send you any of the money that the thief has made off of your work?

« Reply #19 on: October 14, 2010, 11:44 »
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.
« Last Edit: October 14, 2010, 12:53 by retrorocket »

« Reply #20 on: October 14, 2010, 15:35 »
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Easy way to find out, Cidepix, could you let us know if SS send you any of the money that the thief has made off of your work?

I will; once everything is said and done. I still haven't received any response from SS.

« Reply #21 on: October 16, 2010, 01:53 »
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Hello, I've been lurking for a long time without posting.
I have just signed up to post on this topic. I am one of the people reported here as having had my work copied, but Shutterstock seem to have not read the topic very well and deactivated a lot of my horoscope symbols.
I haven't had any problems with them before but this had made me think they are very unprofessional or inept.
I will post the email I sent below and keep this topic updated:


"Please explain why you have removed these images.
I was pointed to a thread on microstockgroup yesterday where it was reported that someone had stolen my work.
Another user of that group said they had reported it so I didn't bother contacting you myself, now you seem to have deleted MY images.
Please look further into this, the images you removed are the original images that were copied by other users.
I noticed the most blatant copies are also still up, by user  Artcome who has reuploaded versions of my crab:

http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-7556566/stock-vector-crab-monochrome-vector-illustration-of-a-stylised-crab.html
(THIS IS MY ORIGINAL ONE)

http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-51400312/stock-vector-old-medallion-of-zodiac-sign-cancer.html
(THIS IS THE COPY)
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-49535968/stock-vector-zodiac.html
(THIS IS ALSO A COPY)
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-50774689/stock-vector-zodiac-signs-vector-isolated.html
(THIS IS ALSO A COPY)
The same artist also traced my centaur for Sagittarius, but the details of this are in the thread I mentioned.
http://www.microstockgroup.com/image-sleuth/yet-another-infringement!/

I'm not sure where the confusion has come from, but the files you just removed are 100% original.
Please put them back up, as this doesn't make me think very highly of your legal department's ability to research copyright violations, or even to be able to check the date of upload of files. Is it because my upload begins with a 7 while the stolen work begins with lower numbers, if you notice my file number has 7 digits while there's has 8?
Christos Georghiou"

The file of mine I linked to is the vector version of one of the rasters they deleted

Here is a link to the complete set on another site if anyone here wants to verify that they are all original:
http://www.123rf.com/photo_2187635_horoscope-birth-zodiac-star-signs-illustrations-of-the-twelve-horoscope-zodiac-star-signs.html
« Last Edit: October 16, 2010, 02:18 by Christos Georghiou »

« Reply #22 on: October 16, 2010, 05:50 »
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I was worrying they would get confused and remove wrong images. I am sure it will be corrected. When I reported, I especially stated the name Artcome as one of the infringers along with Brandzela.

So sorry to hear this happened. If they don't correct it in a reasonable amount of time, I will contact them again to support you. But I think they will sort it out eventually.


Hello, I've been lurking for a long time without posting.
I have just signed up to post on this topic. I am one of the people reported here as having had my work copied, but Shutterstock seem to have not read the topic very well and deactivated a lot of my horoscope symbols.
I haven't had any problems with them before but this had made me think they are very unprofessional or inept.
I will post the email I sent below and keep this topic updated:


"Please explain why you have removed these images.
I was pointed to a thread on microstockgroup yesterday where it was reported that someone had stolen my work.
Another user of that group said they had reported it so I didn't bother contacting you myself, now you seem to have deleted MY images.
Please look further into this, the images you removed are the original images that were copied by other users.
I noticed the most blatant copies are also still up, by user  Artcome who has reuploaded versions of my crab:

http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-7556566/stock-vector-crab-monochrome-vector-illustration-of-a-stylised-crab.html
(THIS IS MY ORIGINAL ONE)

http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-51400312/stock-vector-old-medallion-of-zodiac-sign-cancer.html
(THIS IS THE COPY)
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-49535968/stock-vector-zodiac.html
(THIS IS ALSO A COPY)
http://www.shutterstock.com/pic-50774689/stock-vector-zodiac-signs-vector-isolated.html
(THIS IS ALSO A COPY)
The same artist also traced my centaur for Sagittarius, but the details of this are in the thread I mentioned.
http://www.microstockgroup.com/image-sleuth/yet-another-infringement!/

I'm not sure where the confusion has come from, but the files you just removed are 100% original.
Please put them back up, as this doesn't make me think very highly of your legal department's ability to research copyright violations, or even to be able to check the date of upload of files. Is it because my upload begins with a 7 while the stolen work begins with lower numbers, if you notice my file number has 7 digits while there's has 8?
Christos Georghiou"

The file of mine I linked to is the vector version of one of the rasters they deleted

Here is a link to the complete set on another site if anyone here wants to verify that they are all original:
http://www.123rf.com/photo_2187635_horoscope-birth-zodiac-star-signs-illustrations-of-the-twelve-horoscope-zodiac-star-signs.html

« Reply #23 on: October 16, 2010, 08:14 »
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@Christos Georghiou,

I have edited the OP so it may help them understand your case when they review it.

« Reply #24 on: October 16, 2010, 08:22 »
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I believe that when issues like this come up, they freeze everyone involved's account, or remove all images so they can sort it out. I am certain they will realize who the culprit is and take action and then put your images back up.


 

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