what is up with foreign sites putting my flickr photos on their pages?

[robertwsimpson]

this is the second site to do this


Canon 50d kit - Советы

 

[robertwsimpson]

The four photos grouped on the right are mine. They're not even the best photos on my flickr.

 

[Overread21]

Free images that they hope no one will notice have been stolen and used for free advertising of the product. That is the reason I would expect for that site you just linked to - the other reason is that there are a lot of image search engins that simply search flickr and display results (not quite sure why people bother with them though flickr already has a search engine.)

Anyway with this case I would treat it as an image theft and go from there - that means several approaches:

1) sending the company which has the images an invoice for the use of the 4 images.
2) set your lawyer onto them (normally the stage after the above if they do not respond)
3) contact the host of the website (that is the company hosting the site on the net) and inform them of the image theft - there is a name for this a something something request - normally this will ensure the images are taken down very quickly.

edit - ps take screenshots as proof that the images where present incase they rapid remove them and claim they were never there - note there might also be other ways of preserving the site (saving a copy of it) which would count as proof as well
out of interest how did you find them?

 

[inTempus]

How did you discover they were using your pics? Was it in your flickr stats or something?

Over on Model Mayhem people discover other photographers have stolen their images all over the internet and I always wonder how they found out. So far no one has said how they find them.

 

[Overread21]

TinEye Reverse Image Search
Will probably (in time) become a well used resource for such image searches - however its still got a long way to go to go list the images currently on the web so i have less idea how good it is at finding more current image thefts.

 

[Dao]

Yeah ... how did you find out? Just curious.

 

[robertwsimpson]

the flickr stats. I check almost every day to see where people are getting to my flickr from. it's usually this forum and one other that I post on, but I also get the occasional google or yahoo image search hit and then sites like this.

 

[inTempus]

TinEye Reverse Image Search
Will probably (in time) become a well used resource for such image searches - however its still got a long way to go to go list the images currently on the web so i have less idea how good it is at finding more current image thefts.

I've been playing with Tineye for a while but it never finds any of my images. I've seeded images elsewhere on the net and waited months then run a Tineye search and it doesn't find them. I don't know if that site actually does anything or not to be honest.

 

[TexasJeff]

I am going the lo res route for now. I actually pulled all my photos off Flickr and am in the process of reposting them at lower resolutions. I admit I am quite ignorant as to the real dangers of image theft from the web. I do know however I don't want people or companies yanking my images w/o my permission. A double edges sword, them internets...I say.

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Heh, I am not too concerned at the moment. None of my stuff is soooo fantastic that I have a need to worry.

Although, one of my images was featured HERE and I got a link back, and quite a bit of traffic because of it. *shrugs*

 

[nemopaice]

TinEye Reverse Image Search
Will probably (in time) become a well used resource for such image searches - however its still got a long way to go to go list the images currently on the web so i have less idea how good it is at finding more current image thefts.

Yea, I like tineye. They do have a way to go, but have come very far in a short time. I've followed their progress since they went live. I have found my own images using it. so I know it works.


Sorry to here about the image theft. overread already mentioned good steps to take.

 

[TexasJeff]

Yes as I mentioned I am a bit ignorant as to the real pitfalls. Seems obvious enough I suppose. Maybe I am just paranoid.
I looked at your images. Great stuff. Same for that jeweler guy.:thumbup:

 

[Canosonic]

It's a russian site. They (excuse me) don't give a ****.

 

[rocdoc]

There are still large parts of this world where copyright is seen as a fad, and intellectual property is not understood at all. So indeed they won't think twice about blatantly stealing your stuff. Once you post something online, especially on an open site like flickr, this is bound to happen. It happened to me many times. If I made my living with photography I would be worried and I would remove all my public photos. Since it's purely a hobby and I don't think I'm that good, I care less, although I have to say it's still annoying.

 

[Dominantly]

I use SmugMug and they have some awesome security. Right click can be disable, you can choose to limit preview sizes (but retain full size for purchases), you can disable linking, and you can even use their temporary proof watermark. Pretty much everything is covered.

I would look into a place with more security to fit your desires.