Alert!: Ripped-Off Photographs - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM

03/28/2004 03:06:56 PM · #26

Originally posted by chinstrap:

Ok Gordon thanks - I was unaware that all the efforts some sites go to are a waste of time, which begs the question why they do it in the first place??

It could either be ignorance, or it could be for legal reasons - often a lot of security is put in place, not to actually secure anything, but just to give a legal stance to show that you did try to protect your property.

The only moderately successful anti downloading schemes are flash based slideshows, but they come with their own problems.

If you have any examples of sites you think do a good job - I'd be happy to email you a couple of the images that they 'protect' :)

It also serves as a first level warning/ caution. Many people are possibly even unaware that copyright infringement is illegal and that they shouldn't be taking any image they feel like. A right click blocker or warning at least means that people are made aware that they shouldn't be using an image without permission. Does nothing to actually stop someone who wants to take it though and is willing to spend more than a few seconds of effort to get the image.

Message edited by author 2004-03-28 15:41:08.

MikeO

Fujifilm x100

03/28/2004 03:26:12 PM · #27

No I dont have any particular sites in mind, I was just curious as to why they bother. Thanks

edit for typo

Message edited by author 2004-03-28 15:26:47.

MadMordegon

03/28/2004 04:44:02 PM · #28

nothing can block the ol' "print screen" button ;)

hsteg

Fujifilm X-T20

03/28/2004 05:01:36 PM · #29

Originally posted by MadMordegon:

nothing can block the ol' "print screen" button ;)

annoying text sprawled across your photos can..

magnetic9999

Canon EOS-20D

Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX Aspherical DF for Canon

03/28/2004 05:35:55 PM · #30

which, when submitting dpc, we are not allowed to add :P

Originally posted by hsteg:

Originally posted by MadMordegon:
nothing can block the ol' "print screen" button ;)

annoying text sprawled across your photos can..

hsteg

Fujifilm X-T20

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM

03/28/2004 05:38:52 PM · #31

Originally posted by magnetic9999:

which, when submitting dpc, we are not allowed to add :P

Originally posted by hsteg:

Originally posted by MadMordegon:
nothing can block the ol' "print screen" button ;)

annoying text sprawled across your photos can..

well, you can do it to your portfolio shots..

glimpses

Sony DSC-F707

03/28/2004 06:02:09 PM · #32

It is very pissing off to see that there is people who does not have any respect for the work of others...

However, this is the world we live in.

To think positive, I would like to remind that:

- whoever resorts to such steal technique is certainly not a serious professional and their activity is going to lose credibility (if they ever had any) pretty fast.

- it is true that images cannot be protected on the web, if not at the expense of over-imposing some kind of visible watermark (I personally ate this option because it forces every viewer in an ugly position just because of the existence of such assholes...). Besides, even the watermark may possibly be removed with some editing software

- whoever steals images on the web can only steal its "rendition", which usually is a very low resolution version of the original image. There are not many applications for it and they can easily be prosecuted due to the lack of proof of originality.

- whoever steals images generally does not obtain great results. It usually is some "poor" people who, by doing that, clearly show their creative limits. It is very unlikely that they will go very far with what they have stolen and I would not be surprised that the original author could get some positive result by advertising if not legal prosecution.

Conclusion:
yes, technically the images on the web are basically unprotected but, maybe, there is not a real need to protect them even if there is people intentioned to steal them because thieves do not get a lot in return while they could have some real trouble or, at the very least, lose credibility.

glimpses

Sony DSC-F707

03/28/2004 06:05:00 PM · #33

just another note really.
It would help to keep a record of each case.
Is there any website who provide such information?
If not, it could be a good idea to make one.

flip89

Nikon D700

Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G IF-ED VR

03/28/2004 08:13:34 PM · #34

What's interesting is that she or he or whoever he is has not been suspended from the site! The admins of that site upon getting complaints and proof should have taken her/him down right away.

tyt2000

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM II

03/28/2004 08:24:04 PM · #35

At deviantart, they give you a warning the first time. If you do it again, you're banned. Once I caught this guy stealing a photo from usefilm.com and alerted the admins, they removed it and gave him a warning. Funny thing this guy didn't learn the first time, so I caught him stealing a second time from the same site and he got banned!

Katspetkat

Sony DSC-WX50

03/28/2004 08:27:54 PM · #36

Did anyone notice that the original theif is now down to four? I think they are watching this thread.

tyt2000

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM II

03/28/2004 08:33:08 PM · #37

I think the best thing to do is to alert the admins first, then post thoughts on the user's page (after the admins remove the photo). This way, the admins can catch the photo before it is removed by the user and issue a warning.

nsoroma79

Nikon Coolpix P7000

Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II

03/28/2004 09:01:36 PM · #38

Well if someone would steal my stuff, they would be punished to the FULLEST extent! :) This just pisses me off to no end!

Tokina AF 12-24mm f/4.0 AT-X Pro DX

03/28/2004 09:25:06 PM · #39

Originally posted by nsoroma79:

Well if someone would steal my stuff, they would be punished to the FULLEST extent! :) This just pisses me off to no end!

Just a random observation, it isn't stealing it is copyright infringement.

The reason I even bother mentioning is that in a similar way, downloading music is also not theft, no matter how much the record industry tries to make out that it is.

Beagleboy

Canon EOS-30D

03/28/2004 09:25:47 PM · #40

It's a pain in the a$$ that people try to cheat like that, but I get GREAT satisfaction at seeing people get their just desserts. Catch people like that almost every week at work... bloddy thieves and liers.

pcody

Canon PowerShot G6

Nikon AF Nikkor 50mm f/1.8

03/28/2004 09:26:27 PM · #41

I know I've seen the "I love you" beach picture somewhere. I think maybe istock.

coolhar

Canon PowerShot Pro 90 IS

03/28/2004 10:02:24 PM · #42

"admins are very busy" ???????????
Being too busy to take care of this type of a problem is negligence bordering on the criminal.

Has anyone considered the possibility that the poster of stolen images may be registered here and entering our challenges with more stolen images?

dustin03

Canon EOS-20D

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

03/28/2004 11:59:30 PM · #43

Originally posted by nicoledb:

Originally posted by movieman:

I took a screenshot because you suggested it.

But what should we do with it?

You can use it as proof that there actually were illegal photographs on the site. Right now there are only 6 left, apparently the other 18 were not hers. Incredible :-(((

Shes must be down to four now....perhaps 0 soon....by her profile, she may have some issues and not with a camera either....good call moodvile and others...I think i hva seen others photos posted else where can't remember by the name, some have matched though, but will keep my eyes pealed....

Yomi

Nikon D850

Nikon AF-S Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 VR

03/29/2004 01:12:56 AM · #44

Originally posted by coolhar:

Has anyone considered the possibility that the poster of stolen images may be registered here and entering our challenges with more stolen images?

A while back in one of the challenges I saw a photo that I had seen about a year before on another gallery site. I recommended it for DQ and it was. I wonder if there are any other photos out there like that.

On another note, I got in a huge argument with one of the students in my advanced writing class. He went on to say that any photo on the internet is free game and that we can take and use them for whatever we wanted to. I told him that was wrong and told him the copyright laws and everything, but I still don't think he agrees with me.

jonpink

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2

03/29/2004 07:33:57 AM · #45

There really is nothing one can do to protect images and text. the only way is to never show people your work online or in print.

I would be more flattered than angry...they don't have the orig, so they can't profit from it.

visitor

Canon EOS-350D Rebel XT

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 USM

03/29/2004 08:04:56 AM · #46

Thanks for the heads up about such practices.

It is for that sort of reason that I have been looking into methods of watermarking my images for display on my "planned" Gallery website.

As mentioned higher up the thread (I think) it is a pity there is not some way to so stamp our dpc images if they are "right clicked".

:~(

jonpink

Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2

03/29/2004 08:48:56 AM · #47

take away the right click and then people will just take a screen shot. Add the ugly watermark and it will ruin the picture...

Can't win IMHO.

03/29/2004 08:51:09 AM · #48

Originally posted by jonpink:

take away the right click and then people will just take a screen shot. Add the ugly watermark and it will ruin the picture...

Can't win IMHO.

Take away the right click, and people will just disable the feature you are using to limit them. Any decent browser lets you override stuff like that with one click.

Bottom line, you sent me the image, I can do what I like with it (whether that is legal or not is a different issue)

This is the same basic problem that audio/ video copyright infringment has to protect against - at some point you have to be able to watch the movie or listen to the song - and then it is copyable.

At best all you can do is annoy the more casual users and harm people who might have more legitimate reasons to copy an image - e.g., one of those 'fix my photo' threads would then become an exercise in frustration for those who don't know how easy it is to circumvent save as blockers or would turn into tutorials on how to switch it off :)

Message edited by author 2004-03-29 08:53:34.

kaycee

Olympus C-750UZ

03/29/2004 08:56:31 AM · #49

The images on my site are "tiled" in four quarters - so most folks won't dig any further - they try to right click and they only get 1/4 of the picture. I'm sure there are some who could circumvent that, but it works for most, and so I'm content with it.