Image theft

Well it goes on, I have been doing a blog with an buddy in the UK and today he sent me a site where they have been taking our blog and copying it onto their own, I see Nigel Blakes on there as well ,They have also taken an image of mine-see the nightsky under images-keep your eyes open and report anything like this so we can try to clamp down on it

http://www.photogrind.com/

Dave

Thanks for the link Dave, lets hope it gets taken down soon.

I recognized a few images and have sent an email to the photographer.

Not been particulary clever about it either have they.....

I have complained to them and not had a reply, I have also complained to "Blogspot" who my blog is with in the hope that they will do something about it.

Heres what I posted on my blog today, and it's already on Photogrind!!

Well I've not had a reply from them yet, this is to make anyone who has a blog aware that Photogrind is actively stealing peoples blog entries without seeking the copyright owners permission, adding them to their site, and then being hypocritical enough to emblazon their pages with copyright notices...... If you are reading this on there; then why not click on http://www.nigelblake.co.uk/ and see the posts as they are meant to be seen.

I've had this happen with entries on my blog quite a lot, usually though there is a link back to my site and it's through my site stats and those links that I've noticed.

Not sure if you can work out the abusers IP address(es) from your web stats? If you can, then block them using their IP - most web host control panels will allow you to do that.

Hi Dave unfortunately there are few at it .Pixdaus.com is another as I covered earlier this year .There have been a number of images lifted from here and other sites where the contributors steal images (without credit to the photographer ,as if that should make any difference ) and post them as their own .
I have contacted a number of organisations including a certain solicitor and regretfully the answer I'm getting back is its a civil matter and unless an action is raised by the individual there isn't a lot can be done .Google ,RPS and AOP all have said they really dont want to get involved .
I have looked at photogrind and there appears to be a few similarities to Pixdaus ( text in the bottom RH corner) .
I just wonder if there is a link ?
Pixdaus contributors have continued to lift my images from here and another site and on each occassion the contributor (their handle /name ) has been allowed to carry on posting without being struck off or recieve a warning .
A knowledgeable person here should be able to get the site details and its web host .A word directly may help once they know you are onto them .( it worked in part for me.)
watermarks and embedded copyright in the exif doesn't deter them .
Screen capture of my images on their site is recorded before an email is sent requesting removal .In each case this is done but the tracking down of the stolen image is a pain .
Its a shame but remember a half decent A4 print can be got from a 72 dpi 800 pixel image .
What really made them sit up and listen is a letter of warning before action .
This has worked with a couple of the thieves at pixdaus .It may just work for you...

The DMCA is what you need to invoke, it places an obligation on Google and the scammers ISP (depending on location) to remove the offending images or the site comes down. I used it to good effect against a USA based site and Google acted promptly and the offending images were dwon in less than two weeks. It does not help you get any recompense but you give the thieves a fright and get the images removed.

Here you go:

http://www.google.com/dmca.html

Read part 2 carefully - thats your task - this bit to be precise:



FOR WEB SEARCH, YOU MUST IDENTIFY EACH SEARCH RESULT THAT DIRECTLY LINKS TO A WEB PAGE THAT ALLEGEDLY CONTAINS INFRINGING MATERIAL. This requires you to provide (a) the search query that you used, and (b) the URL for each allegedly infringing search result.

Dave, I think they have done it again, there are two blog entries and one is for the tenth of march.
Pete

Hi Pete

They must have an automatic link, We put up something yesterday saying dont use Photogrind they steal your work or words to that effect and it went straight on there

Dave

If you google photogrind, it comes up with several entries about them stealing blogs. It really is time that copyright was sorted out, but I suppose that in this ever electronically shrinking world that there will always be safe havens for thieves!
Best wishes
Phil

Dave - check your website logs and work out where it's being scrapped from - then block their IP address (or even better - address block) in your website control panel.

There are tools that allow you track your images that you use on the web and license them accordingly.

Ian