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Agency Based Discussion => Sites that no longer exist => Veer => Topic started by: BaldricksTrousers on February 27, 2016, 10:23

Title: Veer stealing my work
Post by: BaldricksTrousers on February 27, 2016, 10:23
More than 30 days ago I terminated my contract with veer by e-mail in accordance with article X of the contributor contract. Veer have failed to delete my portfolio as they are required to by law, and are still offering my work for sale.
I gather from another thread that I am not the only one whose copyright is being violated in this way, but I thought a new thread might be useful, to alert people - contributors, customers and Veer staff - that licenses Veer is offering for sale may be invalid.
As this work is now being offered for sale via Getty, it may be that Getty is selling licenses that have  no legal validity.
What a mess!
Title: Re: Veer stealing my work
Post by: Mikeme on February 27, 2016, 12:25
Okay so lets sum up what just happened and is happening here with Veer:

1. Site broken/slow/no sales for months
2. VCG aka 'Getty' bought Corbis/Veer
3. Getty does not care about contributors and we all know that already (just ask Sean) ;)
4. Veer site is completely messed up, can't upload via FTP nor through the browser (You get an error no matter how many times you try)
5. No support from their staff
6. I think that the site will close or the content will be transferred to a new Getty collection called 'whateva'
7. I'm out!
Title: Re: Veer stealing my work
Post by: Justanotherphotographer on February 27, 2016, 12:43
That's rough.  I hope they get this sorted.  If they have transfered the image to their chinese partner for distribution getting them off their channels could be a whole other mess.
Title: Re: Veer stealing my work
Post by: Jo Ann Snover on February 27, 2016, 14:12
As this work is now being offered for sale via Getty, it may be that Getty is selling licenses that have  no legal validity.
What a mess!

How about send DMCA notices to Getty for your own images? They don't own Veer but possibly they could get the folks who do to remove work that shouldn't be there.
Title: Re: Veer stealing my work
Post by: BaldricksTrousers on February 27, 2016, 14:18
As this work is now being offered for sale via Getty, it may be that Getty is selling licenses that have  no legal validity.
What a mess!

How about send DMCA notices to Getty for your own images? They don't own Veer but possibly they could get the folks who do to remove work that shouldn't be there.

Interesting thought, but I don't want Getty dumping my iStock portfolio at the same time (it's got much of the same stuff there). I'm more bothered about a Chinese company having them without my permission.
Title: Re: Veer stealing my work
Post by: Jo Ann Snover on February 27, 2016, 18:32
... I'm more bothered about a Chinese company having them without my permission.


But a Chinese company does have them if you have work on Getty (via anywhere else other than Veer) - VCG is Getty's distributor in China and has been for a number of years now.

Edited to add: apparently VCG has or is about to invest $100 million in Getty:

http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-vcg-getty-idUKKCN0VS0A0 (http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-vcg-getty-idUKKCN0VS0A0)

http://www.forbes.com/sites/dougyoung/2016/02/22/china-chases-tough-photo-market-with-getty-images-investment/#3d9c00ea5662 (http://www.forbes.com/sites/dougyoung/2016/02/22/china-chases-tough-photo-market-with-getty-images-investment/#3d9c00ea5662)

http://press.gettyimages.com/getty-images-statement-regarding-a-potential-partnership-with-visual-china-group/ (http://press.gettyimages.com/getty-images-statement-regarding-a-potential-partnership-with-visual-china-group/)

So VCG owns a good chuck of what used to be Corbis, has invested in 500px and Getty plus is Getty's China distributor. The Forbes article contains the following rather sad comment:

"Chinese firms are notorious for chasing overseas companies that are past their prime, and Visual China appears to be following in that trend with these latest deals."
Title: Re: Veer stealing my work
Post by: BD on February 27, 2016, 18:49
... I'm more bothered about a Chinese company having them without my permission.

But a Chinese company does have them if you have work on Getty (via anywhere else other than Veer) - VCG is Getty's distributor in China and has been for a number of years now.

Yes, but that is with permission. I don't think sending a DMCA to Getty/iStock is a good idea if one does not want them to dump the iStock/Getty portfolio. I am trying to get my images off of Veer as well, but not Getty/iStock.
Title: Re: Veer stealing my work
Post by: BaldricksTrousers on February 27, 2016, 22:55
... I'm more bothered about a Chinese company having them without my permission.

But a Chinese company does have them if you have work on Getty (via anywhere else other than Veer) - VCG is Getty's distributor in China and has been for a number of years now.
Ah, I didn't know that. I guess the difference isn't a whole hill of beans, then. But I'm still very unhappy about the complete lack of transparency regarding commission rates, sub-distributor's commissions, etc. How many agencies does this arrangement have standing in line to take a cut and how much is that cut to be? As far as I know it's all a big secret that the agencies are keeping to themselves. The upside is that I hardly ever get a sale from Veer, assuming that they're properly reported.
Title: Re: Veer stealing my work
Post by: BaldricksTrousers on February 27, 2016, 22:58
But, of course, if Corbis/Veer isn't bothering to adhere to the terms of the contract there's no particular reason to suppose that it is reporting sales properly, either.
Title: Re: Veer stealing my work
Post by: Nica on February 28, 2016, 01:44
More than 30 days ago ....

Starting end of january I mailed Veer 5 or more times to close my account. Finally I got an e mail from Veer a week ago saying that " this process takes 90 days". As in your case I still have acces to my account and my images appear for sale.   :-\
Title: Re: Veer stealing my work
Post by: Artemis on February 28, 2016, 12:39
I'm in the same boat. Wrote them the first time 6 weeks ago,no reply. Tried again, now 3 weeks ago and got a reply : "I appreciate you writing in about this. Since the announcement of the VCG/Getty acquisition we have been quite busy. I am sorry things are taking longer than normal. I will try and get to this right away."
Now, 3 weeks later, my photo's are still online....*sigh*
Just wrote them again...
Title: Re: Veer stealing my work
Post by: Pauws99 on February 28, 2016, 13:57
Not busy selling pictures it seems.......always been a very disappointing site
Title: Re: Veer stealing my work
Post by: oooo on February 28, 2016, 14:10
Same here.
Tried everything.
They just ignore.
Not any reply.
No more comments ,  tired of all this ****
Title: Re: Veer stealing my work
Post by: Nica on February 28, 2016, 15:10

No more comments ,  tired of all this ****

yes I am tired about all this as well but there is still our pending money which should be payed
Title: Re: Veer stealing my work
Post by: mantered on February 28, 2016, 17:25
they don't bother replying to emails, I just got the standard automated reply over and over again :|
I'm trying to close my account but no traction yet :p
Title: Re: Veer stealing my work
Post by: oooo on February 28, 2016, 18:09

No more comments ,  tired of all this ****

yes I am tired about all this as well but there is still our pending money which should be payed

For me the money is nothing compared to:

i have 1/4 of my port there!
It will be transfered to two companies where i want not submit my work for several reasons.

So far i not even have ANY information about pricing and royalties, agreement, no informations,
NOTHING
What . is going on here????







Title: Re: Veer stealing my work
Post by: Pixart on February 28, 2016, 18:22
If we ever get our act together and get a union/coop we should demand a delete button on these sites.  Most important to get it off the partners, but if they are too incompetent to pull the plug at least we could ourselves....
Title: Re: Veer stealing my work
Post by: zorba on February 28, 2016, 18:41
If we ever get our act together and get a union/coop we should demand a delete button on these sites.  Most important to get it off the partners, but if they are too incompetent to pull the plug at least we could ourselves....

I see B&H workers solved some problems with that ... :)
Title: Re: Veer stealing my work
Post by: oooo on February 28, 2016, 19:22
I would say too incompetent is the wrong assumption
on customer side, on ANY! mail or phone contact available you get instant help,
just try , if you doubt
Title: Re: Veer stealing my work
Post by: trek on February 28, 2016, 23:28
If we ever get our act together and get a union/coop we should demand a delete button on these sites.  Most important to get it off the partners, but if they are too incompetent to pull the plug at least we could ourselves....

We will never have a union but we could have a guild. 
Title: Re: Veer stealing my work
Post by: Pixart on February 29, 2016, 10:19
If we ever get our act together and get a union/coop we should demand a delete button on these sites.  Most important to get it off the partners, but if they are too incompetent to pull the plug at least we could ourselves....

I see B&H workers solved some problems with that ... :)

Did they (or was that sarcasm)?  I read the first stories about how bad they were treated but I never followed after that.