rgbstock
Ripper Alert
1. xymonau30 August 2011, 14:53 GMT +02:00
http://www.wallsave.com/wallpaper/1600x1200/green-squares-x-blocks-background-314696.html
A lot of familiar images here being offered for download, including mine. I can't seem to make a comment, though, as every time I try, the page goes wonky. Can anyone else post there?
I'm so sick of thieves.
2. xymonau30 August 2011, 15:10 GMT +02:00
And another Russian site links to more of mine:
http://www.allpics.ru/tags/4186/
http://www.allpics.ru/more.php?id=2591 for example
3. Stephen1 September 2011, 12:41 GMT +02:00
How on earth do you find your images in sites like these?
5. Stephen1 September 2011, 12:59 GMT +02:00
then aren't the sites rcrediting you as the photographer? The problem becomes your / our lack of control over information to downloaders about usage?
6. dlritter2 September 2011, 12:59 GMT +02:00
Generally the "wallpaper sites" are oblivious to any concept of copyright. The Russian and Chinese ones are particularly bad offenders.
7. xymonau3 September 2011, 11:37 GMT +02:00
I'm sorry, Stephen, but when did copyright become open slather? If I was to use an image somewhere, I would first ensure it was legal for me to do so. Russians have laws, too. Why am I in the wrong when my images have been stolen? The rules here are extremely clear. No redistribution. I'll bet if your wallet was stolen you'd be the first to whinge, and you wouldn't be saying you should have made it clear that stealing wallets is illegal. After all, the thief might tell the shopkeepers that you donated money to him as he spends your money. That should fix it then?
8. lennie4 September 2011, 2:00 GMT +02:00
Dez, looks to me like the first website does not exist anymore. It just has a parked domain page.
Because I was sick this week, I didn't yet fully research the other one you mentioned Dez. For example, do you have a link of the same image in your gallery ? Because I didn't see it (yet). This one for example comes close though: http://www.rgbstock.com/photo/n2b0kVy/3D+Abstract+Border
9. xymonau4 September 2011, 2:54 GMT +02:00
http://www.rgbstock.com/photo/2dyWOmw/No+title
This is the one, Lennie.
10. Stephen4 September 2011, 6:50 GMT +02:00
Dez, I am certainly not suggesting that copyright is open slather, nor was I in any way inferring that you are in the wrong. Trying to be clearer than I was in earlier comments - I think this issue has many layers and complexities. For me, two big ones are the impracticalities of initiating action on copyright breaches (particularly internationally) and the impossibility of being aware of who is using our images and for what purpose (particularly since it is only those who reference us as the photographer that can be found using a google search - and I can only imagine this is the tip of the iceberg).
Like you I expect, I get a myriad of image use requests from a hugely diverse range of people / organisations / businesses. Aside from the bigger not-for-profits / businesses where just perhaps I might one day come across an illegitimately used image of mine, I would never know. For all I know (and I fully expect it is the case) images of mine are on a whole lot of sites, being used for all sorts of purposes, by a whole lot of people etc without my approval.
As much as that annoys me, I decided long ago to accept that if I want to make free images available to the many not-for-profits, community groups etc there will be unauthorised uses and precious little I can do about it. Do I fund a law suit on this? does rgb on my behalf? I am thinking not.
11. xymonau4 September 2011, 11:30 GMT +02:00
Well, I still try to get them to remove the images - even though some don't. If it happened in this country, I'd see what I could do legally. Particularly if someone was selling my images. I agree, there is little that can be done, although some sites will remove them. But the bottom line for me is that I may wish to make money out of my images at some stage - Cafe Press, etc - who knows? In which case, I want exclusivity of the product. I upload free images under certain boundaries, and I want downloaders to adhere to those. I think if I don't protest, it becomes open slather.
12. dlritter11 September 2011, 10:08 GMT +02:00
Just found this ripper...
http://depositphotos.com/portfolio-1004855.html
I already see several of my images ripped there.
Dave
Found the same person on another site...
http://www.pixmac.com/author/webdirectfoto@dp
Lusi's images ripped too...
http://depositphotos.com/1875106/stock-photo-Figures-world-4.html
http://www.rgbstock.com/photo/mgyR82g/figures+world+4
It looks like the second site is related to the first site, at least they get images from there.
13. johnnyberg11 September 2011, 11:21 GMT +02:00
I found some of my pictures at depositphotos too - I have mailed them.
14. xymonau11 September 2011, 11:50 GMT +02:00
He has images from tinneketin, fangol, Scott Snyde, I think a frame of Cris', and dozens of other people.
15. weirdvis11 September 2011, 12:30 GMT +02:00
Thanks for the heads up, Dave. Both sites have now been contacted.
16. dlritter11 September 2011, 13:18 GMT +02:00
Whenever I post a notice about a ripper I usually have already or am in the process of contacting the offending website about the ripped images.
We can only hope that they get a barrage of emails about this thief.
18. tinneketin11 September 2011, 23:02 GMT +02:00
Indeed he has images of me ! :o(
Do i also have to contact them ?
Thanks to let it know !
19. weirdvis11 September 2011, 23:53 GMT +02:00
@18. Tinneketin, it would help if you could email them and poiint out which images of yours have been stolen.
22. weirdvis12 September 2011, 11:51 GMT +02:00
I've just replied to a confirmation from Depositphotos that the ripper's gallery has been taken down.
A big hearty THANK YOU to both Pixmac and Depositphotos for their swift and decisive action. The speedy removal of a ripper is refreshing to see.
There will be more than a few SXCers who will benefit from this prompt action too. Nice to help out some old friends. :D
Kudos to Eagle-eye Dave for spotting yet another ripper.
24. xymonau12 September 2011, 12:54 GMT +02:00
On the Allpics site that I posted above, images can be downloaded, but their "contact" link is disabled. I have no way of even requesting that they remove the images. Does anyone on here live in Russia?
25. johnnyberg12 September 2011, 14:08 GMT +02:00
I also found a number of my pictures there. I have mailed them using the "info@allpics.ru" and told them what pictures on mine I have found (until now) and told them, that several photographers from here and from sxc are now alert to the fact that allpics steal pictures :-)
And several of the contributers in here might also find that some of their work is offered at www.exclusive.net
www.desktopnexus (I found a picture with the "contributer" shamrock)
.... well that must be enough for today :-)
