Sick of people stealing my product images

[rabb]

OMFG!! These folk are breaking all sorts of crazy a**e copyright law!

They clearly think they're beyond the reach of Disney & top European footy clubs. The minute they become noticed by marketing people their collective a**e will be served to them on a plate. It's really not worth it.

[catcapers]

Yes, the large image libraries make huge amounts of money by suing people for using their stuff for commercial ventures without paying. A friend of a friend used an image he found on Google to use on his travel website. He is now being chased for £1000 whereas the image would have cost around £20. He said he didn't know it "belonged" to anyone. Big companies have departments to deal with copyright issues and it's lucrative business for them but it's more difficult for ordinary individuals who don't have a lot of clout.

[rabb]

Yes, Getty images have a full department dedicated to this. I must state now that I do believe in the concept of copyright and fully support the reasons why!

I had a friend caught out by this for the same reason (put an image on a website) but the "fine" was never paid. It should be noted that receiving a "penalty notice" from anyone other than a court is merely a speculative invoice or in simpler terms demanding monies by menace. He simply stated that he had taken the image offline and that it was an honest mistake. He also told them he would not converse with them unless they came back with a court order.

They never did.

Yes, the large image libraries make huge amounts of money by suing people for using their stuff without paying for commercial ventures. A friend of a friend used an image he found on Google to use on his travel website. He is now being chased for £1000 whereas the image would have cost around £20. He said he didn't know it "belonged" to anyone. Big companies have departments to deal with copyright issues but it's more difficult for ordinary individuals who don't have a lot of clout.