Comments on: Copyright Trolls 2.0: image sites embrace Righthaven tactics

By: Peggy Willett

Peggy Willett — Fri, 21 Sep 2012 17:18:43 +0000

As a Getty Images employee, I want to add that Getty Images takes copyright infringement seriously. Protecting our photographers’ and contributing artists’ work is of the utmost importance. Our contributing photographers look to us to ensure that they are paid whenever their work is used for a commercial purpose, and we actively track where their work has been used without a license.

Image libraries are not like Rightshaven. Rightshaven did not have rights to license content; it only had a contractual right to sue. Getty Images, on the other hand, has rights to license content on behalf of photographers and contributing artists. We review each claim, check for a license and look to see if it is a use that should be licensed. The suggestion that we and our artists have not suffered a loss when images are used without a license is just plain wrong.

We realize that there are many small businesses and image buyers that are new to licensing imagery and that it can be difficult to know where to begin. So in 2010, Getty Images set up Stockphotorights.com, an educational resource for image buyers, on behalf of the photographic industry, to support and inform potential image users around how to use and license content. The site is supported by BAPLA (British Association of Picture Libraries and Agencies) and PACA (Picture Archive Agency of America). StockPhotoRights.com provides image users with the information and advice they need to license images with confidence.

By: Rhonda Hurwitz

Rhonda Hurwitz — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 23:29:08 +0000

NIce article. I wonder if a poll has ever been done to see what proportion of joe average website and blog owners actually know if their content has ever been scraped, why it matters, and to what extent they care?

By: Dan Taylor

Dan Taylor — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 15:51:28 +0000

I don’t feel sorry for Bleacher one bit. We’ve dealt with many companies big and small who steal content and then blame it on the intern or web developer after the fact. Photographers need to make a living too.

By: buddhapi

buddhapi — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 11:19:52 +0000

It has not been confirmed that the Dan Levine who wrote this email is an attorney, but we’re certainly doing our research to find out more about him.

Robert Krausankas
extortionletterinfo.com team member

By: PXLated

PXLated — Thu, 20 Sep 2012 06:38:46 +0000

This is a tricky wickett – I agree in some sence but don’t in other ways. If it’s some poor blogger or admin at a non- profit I symphsize but if it’s a for profit organization, train your friggin people (interns, salesmen/women) in the law.
While I don’t agree with IP trolls, it’s really hard to track down and enforce copyright. It takes way too much time away from your main pursuit so some method is needed.
Theft is left – ignorance is not an excuse.

By: matt20hew

matt20hew — Wed, 19 Sep 2012 17:30:40 +0000

Reblogged this on Today's News.