peoples using your photos (tumblr)

[Actor]

Hi all,

So recently i've noticed a lot of my photos on Flickr being used by people on a website called Tumblr.

Basically, it's a blogging site and people are posting my pics on their blog. They aren't claiming credit, and they even acknowledge that the photos aren't theirs, and they link them to my actual Flickr.

I'm just curious if anyone else has encountered this, and what your feelings are about this.

If I understand you correctly they have not actually copied your photos but have posted a link to a place where you published them. I don't think this qualifies as infringement.

Suppose you put your photo on a billboard on Highway 61. It would not be an infringement if I were then to post "Hey, there's an interesting photo on a billboard out on Highway 61." Flickr is the electronic equivalent of a billboard on the electronic superhighway. You are putting it where the world at large can see it. You shouldn't be offended if someone else tells the world where it is.

 

[ANDS!]

I don't think this qualifies as infringement.

This isn't going to stop the Hyperventilation Brigade from going ape****. Garbz and Felix pretty much nailed it. When you submit to Flickrs your photos, are you handing them over for infringement; no of course not. There was an article about an ad-agency who THOUGHT they could use a photo from Flickr that was Creative Commons listed, but they still infringed on the photo itself AND the individual IN the photo (who I believe was not related to the picture taker). Suffice to say legal-hilarity was had by all.

What the OP described is nothing new. It is VASTLY different from the sites asking for free photographs for their e-books which are most definitely meant to drive business. A blog is not necessarily such an entity.

 

[Garbz]

You are just being incredibly naive to think these functions aren't used and exploited. The access key's you need can be downloaded through thousands of different methods. Many of which are completely legit.

Erm what part of key generated against a specific account do you not understand? Tell you what, try sign up for a flickr account and generate a key twice. You'll get an error the second time and have to contact flickr support just like I did when I lost my key.

You're singling out of flickr quite unfairly by firstly not understanding the feature which you criticise and then secondly ignoring the fact that there are much easier ways to actually steal data (how about use an open google api to trawl flickr, it's probably faster!).

I'm sorry to hear that you had pictures ripped off, but it has everything to do with the popularity of the platform rather than the non-existent "back-door". Just like Windows has the most virus attacks because it's the most popular platform.

 

[MarkoKulik]

Like anything else there's pros and cons.

Flickr is a great way to show off your photographs because so many people use the site. You can gain inspiration, knowledge and friends. That said, of course any photo can be ripped off on flickr.

But it can also be ripped off on any site on the Net....

So IMO it boils down to this; Do you want to show your photos online?

If the answer is yes - you need to accept that some people will rip it off.
If the answer in NO, do not post work work online. Period.
Your work will be totally safe, but next to no one will see it.

Personally I want people to see my photography but i never upload images greater than 120k or so...that way they look like crap when printed.

 

[Felix0890]

That said, of course any photo can be ripped off on flickr.

What he needs to get, though, is that he is not getting ripped off. It's quite the opposite. If he checks his Flickr stats, I'm pretty sure his visitor count spiked soon after his pics were linked on that blog (assuming the blogger is semi-popular). The guy linked back to his account and gave him 100% credit. He should be thanking the blogger, not getting pissed about it.

Next time you think you're getting ripped off, answer the following:

Is the person taking credit or giving me due credit and linking back to my site?
Did the person download and re-upload the image via his own site?
Is the person gaining money from having my picture up there, whether it's credited to me or not?
Is the person distributing my image around the net like hotcakes?

If the answer is no to all of them, stop complaining and thank the person. People will whine about anything these days. :er:

 

[itznfb]

You are just being incredibly naive to think these functions aren't used and exploited. The access key's you need can be downloaded through thousands of different methods. Many of which are completely legit.

Erm what part of key generated against a specific account do you not understand? Tell you what, try sign up for a flickr account and generate a key twice. You'll get an error the second time and have to contact flickr support just like I did when I lost my key.

You're singling out of flickr quite unfairly by firstly not understanding the feature which you criticise and then secondly ignoring the fact that there are much easier ways to actually steal data (how about use an open google api to trawl flickr, it's probably faster!).

I'm sorry to hear that you had pictures ripped off, but it has everything to do with the popularity of the platform rather than the non-existent "back-door". Just like Windows has the most virus attacks because it's the most popular platform.

I think you're kind of missing the point. The developers that write these apps that integrate with flickr don't need more than one key. They write their app with their legit key and whether it crawls private content or not flickr doesn't care. As I said before, I'm not 100% sure if one is able to get the full res image or only the 800x whatever resized preview.

I single out flickr because they provide an API that inherently has too much access and way more flexibility than it really needs. They should be using separate APIs available to different groups of people. But again that comes back to the point that they really don't care.

Yes you can use googles search API to crawl flickr but googles API won't have direct calls in the authentication methods and photo privacy methods. These shouldn't exist in the flickr API either. I can see using them on your own site, but they shouldn't be publicly available.

At any rate... I don't store commercial photos anywhere publicly anymore. I just wanted people to be aware that from the experiences I've seen first hand flickr is a haven photo theft. If it works for you great, keep using it.

 

[Buckster]

1. Officially register copyright on them.
2. When you find someone violating your copyright, printscreen / save-as the page and get a witness.
3. Contact a copyright attorney.
4. Take legal action.
5. Profit.

 

[itznfb]

I thought there were only 3 steps to profit?

Phase 1: Collect Underpants
Phase 2: ?
Phase 3: Profit

 

[Buckster]

I thought there were only 3 steps to profit?

Phase 1: Collect Underpants
Phase 2: ?
Phase 3: Profit

The ? in 2 can actually be multiple steps.

 

[Garbz]

/edit: Meh nevermind. It's clear that we'll permanently be of two different opinions about this.

 

[KmH]

Flickr users might want to read this.

 

[Joves]

Flickr users might want to read this.

Now that was good. To me anything that is free always has a cost. Also for those that do not know you dont have to register for Copyright protection. Go here and you will have the info you need. http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/ I suggest you bookmark it for future reference.

 

[DScience]

What he needs to get, though, is that he is not getting ripped off. It's quite the opposite. If he checks his Flickr stats, I'm pretty sure his visitor count spiked soon after his pics were linked on that blog (assuming the blogger is semi-popular). The guy linked back to his account and gave him 100% credit. He should be thanking the blogger, not getting pissed about it.

Next time you think you're getting ripped off, answer the following:

Is the person taking credit or giving me due credit and linking back to my site?
Did the person download and re-upload the image via his own site?
Is the person gaining money from having my picture up there, whether it's credited to me or not?
Is the person distributing my image around the net like hotcakes?

If the answer is no to all of them, stop complaining and thank the person. People will whine about anything these days. :er:

What are you talking about? Did you even ready my posts? No where did I say I was pissed and I was NOT complaining in anyway. In fact, I am pleased that these photos were used by people blogging because it did increase traffic to my Flickr.

Geez, I feel like i'm talking to 6th graders on here!

 

[DScience]

I think you're kind of missing the point. The developers that write these apps that integrate with flickr don't need more than one key. They write their app with their legit key and whether it crawls private content or not flickr doesn't care. As I said before, I'm not 100% sure if one is able to get the full res image or only the 800x whatever resized preview.

I single out flickr because they provide an API that inherently has too much access and way more flexibility than it really needs. They should be using separate APIs available to different groups of people. But again that comes back to the point that they really don't care.

Yes you can use googles search API to crawl flickr but googles API won't have direct calls in the authentication methods and photo privacy methods. These shouldn't exist in the flickr API either. I can see using them on your own site, but they shouldn't be publicly available.

At any rate... I don't store commercial photos anywhere publicly anymore. I just wanted people to be aware that from the experiences I've seen first hand flickr is a haven photo theft. If it works for you great, keep using it.

Hey itznfb, i just noticed you are also a part of xtremesystems forums! COol! )

 

[itznfb]

I think you're kind of missing the point. The developers that write these apps that integrate with flickr don't need more than one key. They write their app with their legit key and whether it crawls private content or not flickr doesn't care. As I said before, I'm not 100% sure if one is able to get the full res image or only the 800x whatever resized preview.

I single out flickr because they provide an API that inherently has too much access and way more flexibility than it really needs. They should be using separate APIs available to different groups of people. But again that comes back to the point that they really don't care.

Yes you can use googles search API to crawl flickr but googles API won't have direct calls in the authentication methods and photo privacy methods. These shouldn't exist in the flickr API either. I can see using them on your own site, but they shouldn't be publicly available.

At any rate... I don't store commercial photos anywhere publicly anymore. I just wanted people to be aware that from the experiences I've seen first hand flickr is a haven photo theft. If it works for you great, keep using it.

Hey itznfb, i just noticed you are also a part of xtremesystems forums! COol! )

:thumbup: My hobbies constantly jump back and forth between computers and photography!