Brazen Photo theft

[darich]

Wasn't sure of the thread to post this but i suppose this is as good as any!!

How about this for a brazen theft of photographs!!!

I'm at work and not permitted to view flickr's website so i haven't checked the photographer's page - i will do at home.

Wonder how often it's happened and people haven't discovered..........

 

[Alex_B]

Following BBC, the Photographer Rebekka Gudleifsdóttir found some of her images being for sold at a flickr gallery (60 prints of seven of her photos, for more than £2,500) without her consent.
When she raised the issue, her comments on flickr were deleted.

I think this again shows the value of sites like flickr to our community. I won't comment further before I will be accused of ranting or even flaming

 

[darich]

and even worse....

after selling prints of her images for over £2500 they refused to compensate her.
Taking advantage of a member/user that helps make a site what it is is pretty low.

I wish i had images on Flickr so i could now send them an email and take my images off!!

 

[Alex_B]

I wish i had images on Flickr so i could now send them an email and take my images off!!

Now I understand what people meant when they told me one day I would regret not submitting to Flickr

 

[mysteryscribe]

Well to be honest,

It's the big old Eversion of going to get a sandwich at an outdoor display and returning to find prints missing. At least on Efiles you didnt have to buy a frame.

 

[ksmattfish]

The reason that the comments were deleted is because some Flickr members were posting graphic and detailed online plans to extract revenge on the thieves. I hope they get tarred and feathered, or sued to the moon, but I can understand why Flickr can't allow people to use their site to organize a vigilante raid.

Higher ups at Flickr have apologized to Rebekka, and while she is obviously still riled up about this, she is staying on Flickr, just exercising more control over who can access her images. If you've followed Rebekka's rise in popularity in the online photo community you know that Flickr has brought Rebekka at least some fame and fortune. Definately more good than harm in my eyes.

I think that part of her problem stemmed from the fact that while her images were not full res, they were about three times larger than more typical web friendly size. Even so I'm still amazed that the criminals were able to enlarge them as big as they did, and sell them as fine art. Before we tar and feather them we need to learn their techniques!

The potential for images being stolen from Flickr is no greater than any other public photo posting website (such as TPF), other than Flickr is very popular. I have no doubt that unscrupulous art directors are cruising Flickr, and other websites, for free stock photography. I've had photos stolen off Flickr. It ****ed me off, and I quit Flickr for a while. Now I'm back. Like Rebekka, I've decided that the potential good influence on my photography to come out of the Flickr community is greater than the potential bad.

It comes down to freedom of information. How can you keep it locked up whether it's photos, writing, music, video, or whatever? The giants of the software, music, and movie industry spend billions of dollars every year to protect their copyrighted materials, yet how is that working for them? As far as I can tell people seem to think it's perfectly fine to steal copyrighted music, movies, and software. What chance do I have to protect my work, if the big corporations can't protect theirs with all of their resources? The choices are to lock it away and let nobody see, or take my chances in an unscrupulous world.

 

[ksmattfish]

after selling prints of her images for over £2500 they refused to compensate her.
Taking advantage of a member/user that helps make a site what it is is pretty low.

Flickr did not steal her photos. These guys did.

http://www.only-dreemin.com/

You'll notice most of the site links no longer work, but this company is located in the UK. If the BBC is reporting that the photos were sold from a Flickr gallery, they have the story wrong.

Here's a link to Rebekka's blog http://rebekkagudleifs.com/blog/

 

[Alex_B]

If the BBC is reporting that the photos were sold from a Flickr gallery, they have the story wrong.

no, if i remember right they do mention only dreemin and do not blame flickr .., however if you read quickly you can get the impression I am afraid.

having images uploaded at a too large size can pose a problem, and is certainly inviting theft. well she learned her lesson and will be pretty well known as a photographer now

So who wants to steal my images to get me popular??

 

[mysteryscribe]

She probably will sell way more because of the sympathy buy and even the exposure she will recieve .....so not a total loss for her.... Can't say the same about the stolen photo while I had the big mac.

 

[THORHAMMER]

I dont see how posting large images is not really inviting theft,

many people have widescreen and large monitors nowadays and they want to be able to show them off well.

theft for a wallpaper display maybye, but certainly not inviting someone to steal them and then setup up a website to sell them off enlarged and as fine art prints of their own.