image found

[klassy]

I just thought people should know I found a shutterstock top 50 image on a photo sharing website. Not sure if it belongs to the artist or if someone decided to just use the image, but on this site you can use the image for free. That sucks if someone is just randomly using it. Not fair to the artist or photographer who put their time into making the image.

[Mike McDonald]

What image? What site?

 

EDIT: Via PM I'm told it's Photobucket, and it was a well-known heart flame image.

 

What is really scary is going to Photobucket and doing a search for "Shutterstock".

[klassy]

I let the owner of the image know and gave them the site and keywords I used. Geesh I didn't even think to type in SS. I'm kind of scared to look.

[kourafas5]

yikes..there are a lot of SS images on there..this user alone (mysteryman4ever )has 285!!

[klassy]

I just emailed photobucket about the problem. I found images from another site that I submit to also. I told them "they have a sea of stolen images and it's taking away our payment we are rightly due for image usage". If and when they ever get back to me, I 'll let you all know what they say.

[Holly Kuchera]

Found one of mine pulled off a different stock site. (Suggestion, search for the name(s) of all your stock sites.) It's not necessarily easy to contact the member, but I managed to find them and politely request they remove it.

 

Supposedly, you can contact them if they have a Facebook account link. The member I was looking for had no contact info, but I did a Google search on their screen name and found them in the Photobucket forum.

 

While the image they had up wasn't a big seller, I still don't like it being available for just anyone to download a full-rez image for free!

 

Good luck to anyone else who finds theirs!

[klassy]

(ok this is what everyone needs to do)

 

The images on our site are put forth by our users to share. We will be happy

to remove images that are under your copyright. Please complete the DMCA

takedown notice below so we can assist you in a timely manner.

 

NOTICE OF ALLEGED COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT

1. Identify the copyrighted work that you claim has been infringed, or; if

multiple copyrighted works are covered by this Notice; provide a

representative list of the copyrighted works that you claim have been

infringed. Direct links to the original images or digital copies must be

provided as proof of copyright:

2. Identify the material or link you claim is infringing (or is the subject of

infringing activity) and that access to which is to be disabled, including at

a minimum, if applicable, the URL of the link shown on the Photobucket service

where such material may be found:

3. Provide your mailing address, telephone number, and, if available, email

address:

4. The following statement must be included in the body of the Notice:

I hereby state that I have a good faith belief that the disputed use

of the copyrighted material is not authorized by the copyright owner, its

agent, or the law (e.g., fair use)

5. I hereby state that the information in this Notice is accurate and, under

penalty of perjury that (CHOOSE ONE):

I am the copyright owner, or authorized to act on behalf of the copyright

owner or I am authorized to act under an exclusive right of the copyright that

is allegedly infringed.

I am not the copyright owner, or authorized to act on behalf of the copyright

owner or otherwise authorized to act under an exclusive right of the copyright

that is allegedly infringed.

6. Provide full legal name and the electronic or physical signature of the

owner, or of a person authorized to act on behalf of the owner, of the

copyright or of any exclusive right under the copyright.

Please direct this form, with all items completed to Photobucket's Designated

Copyright Agent:

 

Alex Welch

Copyright Agent

Photobucket.com, Inc.

PO Box #13003

Denver, CO 80201

abuse@photobucket.com

Fax: (303) 532-1099

 

 

Sincerely,

 

Your Photobucket Support Team

 

------

Online Help Center: http://photobucket.com/tips.php

FAQ's: http://photobucket.com/faq

Support Forums: http://forums.photobucket.com

Support Email: support@photobucket.com

[picturemom]

yep there are tons of them! Even the little gold men are on there

Michelle

[hiepdng]

I let the owner of the image know and gave them the site and keywords I used. Geesh I didn't even think to type in SS. I'm kind of scared to look.

 

You are not living in the heaven. Things like this happen quite often. If you go to some other forums here at SS, you will find many threads still talking about this.

 

When I read you post, I thought everyone in the earth will die very soon. LOL.

[frenchtoast]

I'm wondering if its some designers, if you click their name they seem to have a lot of similar photos in their files, as if they are all for one or two projects, maybe for clients to easily view?

 

just my thoughts, sucks that people steal but there are some honest ones out there who just make a mistake and give the public full access!

[Laurin Rinder]

PHOTOBUCKET SUCKS, I've fighting with them for months and months.

[gringo154]

does anyone know if SS actively persue people who breach copyright?

 

or is it our duty as submitters to police the web?

 

SS?

[Laurin Rinder]

honestly, i think were on our own Mostly.A year or so ago. someone alerted me to a guy selling prints of one of my most successful images on german e-bay, he even changed the appearance. I contacted a german friend and had a talk with him. I wanted a chk for every dime that was made on that image or I was going to contact the german tax dept.Or, send someone to have a little heart to heart with the shmuck. He sent me a paypal payment of $256.00 Right away. That image had no EL licence agreement with anyone. He didn't buy it here.This stuff is happening constantly. I litterly could spend hours everyday chasing this stuff down. They always say..."They didn't know there was anything wrong doing this" Always. Thats the internet.

[gringo154]

honestly, i think were on our own Mostly.A year or so ago. someone alerted me to a guy selling prints of one of my most successful images on german e-bay, he even changed the appearance. I contacted a german friend and had a talk with him. I wanted a chk for every dime that was made on that image or I was going to contact the german tax dept.Or, send someone to have a little heart to heart with the shmuck. He sent me a paypal payment of $256.00 Right away. That image had no EL licence agreement with anyone. He didn't buy it here.This stuff is happening constantly. I litterly could spend hours everyday chasing this stuff down. They always say..."They didn't know there was anything wrong doing this" Always. Thats the internet.

 

so considering SS don't tell me who has legally downloaded my images, or what their intended uses are then even if I find an image I don't know if it's legal unless I track down the designer and ask, which would be considered bad practice.

 

SS will have knowledge of certain offenders and be in the best position to seek out infringements - in their interest not just ours.

 

Apart from the fact that the likelyhood of me getting a good legal result from approaching an offender is tiny compared to the might of SS or any other creative business.

 

At this point I have to ask the question 'Would I pay?' considering the likelyhood of getting caught is tiny and even then the chances of being prosecuted are miniscule.

 

SS are profiting from the sale of rights to our work, yet they offer no protection from the very people they sell those rights too. I can't help feeling like I am on the dirty end of a very profitable stick!

 

Maybe I would be better off giving away full-res versions of my images and asking for a donation, if what I read here is true then we're already halfway there.

 

Please respond SS, some reassurance would be nice

[Laurin Rinder]

Over the years, quite a few of the sites have written letters or contacted buyers on our behalf, But I think it is so widely done nowdays thats it's a cat and mouse approach. The real question is how much time,money and effort are you willing to commit to this.Thats what stops just about everyone. I went after this one guy because of , One, that particular image is a huge money maker for me and has been long before this business started. But, I think if seeing one of someones flowers or something somewhere on a t-shirt? I don't know. Once years ago I saw my Flowers on sheets and towels here in Los Angeles.I went ballistic..I found no one to help unless I invested a lot of money doing it. It all comes back to time and effort catching them. Also opting in on EL agreements. be careful about that. very few pay any attention to that part of this business.

[gringo154]

Over the years, quite a few of the sites have written letters or contacted buyers on our behalf, But I think it is so widely done nowdays thats it's a cat and mouse approach. The real question is how much time,money and effort are you willing to commit to this.Thats what stops just about everyone. I went after this one guy because of , One, that particular image is a huge money maker for me and has been long before this business started. But, I think if seeing one of someones flowers or something somewhere on a t-shirt? I don't know. Once years ago I saw my Flowers on sheets and towels here in Los Angeles.I went ballistic..I found no one to help unless I invested a lot of money doing it. It all comes back to time and effort catching them. Also opting in on EL agreements. be careful about that. very few pay any attention to that part of this business.

 

Thanks Rinder though it offers little comfort.

 

I understand it's a difficult business to police but I don't really see how just not policing it helps.

 

I suppose I had the fairly naive view before reading this that the agencies would have it in their interest to come down hard on those who flaunt the law - I mean that IS their business, the more who steal the more money they miss out on.

 

If the agencies have no interest in protecting our rights then effectively my work is slowly becoming worthless. For every meagre payment made by microstock my images become even more at risk as more downloads inevitably means more theft.

 

makes it hard not to cancel my account

[Laurin Rinder]

I know my friend, It's a tough call. but, I think if ya stay in there , do the work and be as diligent as you can. get a huge portfolio, It somehow seems OK. My entire working life of nearly 50 years has been reliant on commissions and royalities. I have to deal with this everyday. I wrote thousands of songs,some were Hits,hundreds of TV show soundtracks and a lot of soundtracks for Film.Part of my daily work is protecting those copyrights which I own and have made me an awful lot of money over the last 40 years.and afforded me a great lifestyle. because of the internet I get my stuff ripped off everyday 7 days a week 52 weeks a year and it just gets worse.

 

I can go to you tube or google , put in my name and download for free most of my biggest copyrighted songs. Just this morning I found a guy using My name to sell bootleg copies of albums I produced. theres not a thing I can do about it except hire a team of lawyers for a lot of money. Im not Elton John or John Lennon with those catelogs to afford doing that and trust me theres huge money to be found chasing those copyrights. So I just plug along waiting for my royalty chks from legit radio stations or television. It's a no win for the little guy or even the middle little guys. In the beginning of the internet it was easy, very easy to catch them, Now? It's all but impossible with a trillion websites. Whos going to look? I gave up and just do what I enjoy....making Images. best of Luck. laurin

[gringo154]

Thanks for the advice Rinder.

 

Just had a quick read up, that's a hell of a career, you seem to be responsible for most of the music of the last 40 years!

 

I shouldn't let it get to me I suppose but by the look of it you've definately got your hands full in comparison.

 

Tony

[Laurin Rinder]

Thanks for the advice Rinder.

 

Just had a quick read up, that's a hell of a career, you seem to be responsible for most of the music of the last 40 years!

 

I shouldn't let it get to me I suppose but by the look of it you've definately got your hands full in comparison.

 

Tony

 

Yep!!!so dont worry.

[klassy]

Wow Rinder that's quite an all around portfolio you have! I'm impressed!

[Laurin Rinder]

Wow Rinder that's quite an all around portfolio you have! I'm impressed!

 

Thanks Taushia

[Thyrymn2]

I don't know why you guys worry so...photography is going the way of the loom makers where in a couple dozen more years there won't be anything called a paid photographer.

[Laurin Rinder]

I don't know why you guys worry so...photography is going the way of the loom makers where in a couple dozen more years there won't be anything called a paid photographer.

 

Just like real musicians. Your probably right.

[swimpuppy]

Even the top-selling swan picture is on there!

Original is by Jostein Hauge. Seems this person searched for swan and saved the thumbnail picture, then cut out the shutterstock number.

[Felix Mizioznikov]

yup, looks like every single one is from a stock site. looks like he or someone he knows buys a legit copy give it to him then people could get them for free. it's kind of scammers put full feature movies online from bootlegs. definate infringement and could be a federal crime. chances are no one will ever go after him because the feds are always frying bigger fish.

Bastards!!