DSF

My take on this is that we're not responsible for policing copyright - if a customer comes to us with artwork, I just tell them that it's okay if they have permission to use it, I don't make a big issue of it.

That's one way to put it

I think a more suitable way of putting it is that we can not police copyright, it is impossible to do so. Asking someone if they have permission and pointing out the risks is about as far as you can go. Looking at something and saying "hey, that looks like a professional image" would be a very subjective view. Laws needs to be in "black and white" with no grey area.

Drew,
I am inclined to agree with you, though I would rather like everything Social Geraff says to be true as it would make my business easier.....
It is rare on DyeSubForum for comments to be heated, and copywrite is so grey, I welcome you to this debate.
imho

Try uploading Man Utd in a red font onto a mug for tesco photo site and it will go through. Their terms and conditions for online ordering clearly put the legalities onto the person uploading an image.

Speak to someone like Deconetwork and they will also confirm who is responsible. At the end of the day it legally makes sense otherwise a printer would be to scared to print anything. Say someone took a photo in of someone they know like David Beckham which they know is probably dodgy. Then another customer walks in with a photo of someone they do not know but it is someone equally as famous. How would they know not to print the second one? It cannot fall solely on a part time member of staff who was at the desk at that given time. If it does make the company guilty how can they be safe printing any customers item?

I print thousands of licensed items every month accross a broad range of customers at trade level. This doesn't have a huge bearing on me so doesn't make much difference if this weren't the case. I don't have any written info on this but a discussion took place with people in the know. Like Social, it's the industry I work in. Nothing to gain by trying to convince people otherwise....... the opposite actually.