As long-time readers of this blog know, my interest in photography has grown exponentially over the years. When I started this blog more than five years ago, I had barely taken any photos in my life. Now, I adore photography, and I take pride in my baby steps of improvement.
Back at the beginning, I used a point-and-shoot, and I took basic photos that documented my life and my dogs. The photos were nothing special to anyone but me.
As my photos have improved, I've run across my newer and better photos in odd places on the internet, and a firm note usually gets them taken down.
Now, I found that someone has a Facebook page that includes a bunch of my early photos of K and R. The stolen photos are not great photos but they mean a lot to me. This person claims that K and R are her dogs. In fact, she calls them "her boyzzzzzzz". For some reason, this discovery has made me extremely angry.
I feel like K's photos are sacrosanct. They are my treasures. They are the only physical images that I have left of her. Now, her photos are on a Facebook page that has lots of obscenities and an obvious lack of ethical grounding. I feel the same way about R's photos but at least he is still alive so I can see his actual handsome eyes every day.
The weird thing is that this person chose to steal what I now consider to be really bad photos from an artistic viewpoint.
After some research, I've seen that Facebook has a process (an online form) for reporting copyright infringement. I am tempted to follow that route. I am pessimistic about approaching the individual who stole the photos because I became aware of this problem due to her online harassment of others.
What would you do if you were in this situation? I want K and R's photos taken down from this person's Facebook account. Any ideas?
I worry about this problem as well seeing as none of my photos are copyrighted other than I took them and have ownership of the originals. I suggest going straight to Facebook and bypassing the person completely. It sounds like they are someone that you do not need to be involved with.
ReplyDeletethis person sounds like someone who would not be cooperative. i would pursue facebook's process.
ReplyDeletei had a blogger post some of my dogs as hers and also some of my sunsets. i did approach her and she removed them and apologized, saying she thought i had an awesome life. she had done it to someone else and another blogger recognized my dogs on her site. sad.
Go through Facebook and their copyright infringement thing. I personally would send a message to this person letting them know you're taking action against them, but it's part of my personality to be confrontational so I'm unsure if that's the "best" way to handle it.
ReplyDeleteDM
I would bite her on the rump, the complain to Facebook!
ReplyDeletePart of why I don't do Facebook. Definitely take it Facebook and maybe they will shut them down. Good luck. One aside, we have never seen a bad photo here:)
ReplyDeletewow…i would definitely follow through with contacting FB…i don't have any good advice, because i don't deal with FB that much, but i'm sure there is a way to at the very least close her site…'
ReplyDeletei would be seething…..
let us know.
xoxo
I am just so shocked that someone would choose to go to the trouble to be someone that they aren't... That's so crazy!!!! I would def complain to FB.
ReplyDeleteThis woman is not someone you want to have even the remotest contact with. Everything you do should be formal, legal, impersonal. If at any point she makes contact with you, do not respond, do not engage, do not explain.
ReplyDeleteIt's a simple issue. She is abusing the system. A person like this would like nothing more than to be able to get into a tangle, the more melodramatic the better.
Use the enforcement avenue the system provides.
I agree. Go through the channels. Unknown people can be scary. Love your pictures. Sorry for your trouble.
ReplyDeleteI would go directly to Facebook, have all the details, you will know exactly which photos this person has stolen, and it seems her page is not polite at all. And, I have never seen what anyone would call remotely a "bad photo" from you, but as we all advance in skills, earlier ones do appear to be less perfect, to ourselves at least, but for you, these ones of K are so special, and heart-breaking to find someone else has taken them for their own. I hope the Facebook Police deal very heavy handed with anyone who does this. Todays photos, true beauties, every one, fond hugs, Jean.
ReplyDeleteThis person no doubt reads your blog so you are already known to her. So there is a risk even in following the Facebook process since this person will know who you are regardless of whether you confront her Online.
ReplyDeleteI think Michael O'Neill said everything I could say, only better. And especially this: "If at any point she makes contact with you, do not respond, do not engage, do not explain."
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
Grrrrrrrrr. I suppose the best thing is to go through the FB channels. I like Brian's suggestion however.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Goose
Grrrrrrrrr. I suppose the best thing is to go through the FB channels. I like Brian's suggestion however.
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Goose
Yes I'm in agreement with the majority that you just go through FB. It just baffles me. Why would someone do this? The only explanation is having serious issues, which is just more reason to avoid any personal interaction. Let Facebook do it.
ReplyDeleteI have no clue but I would be upset too. No, actually I would be more than upset. I hope FB is responsive to you!
ReplyDeleteYour Pals,
Murphy & Stanley
Ohhh, anti-social behavior comes in so many flavors these days; stealing your girl and calling them her boy? That's just wacky, so I agree, go through the channels and avoid direct contact.
ReplyDeleteBy the way - LOVE the waving photo :-)
I gotta keep my opinion to myself on this. I wish I had sweet Bert's personality on things like this. He would just say, "Well, if it makes this person feel better pretending to live someone else's life!!!" but me.....well again, I better not say.
ReplyDeleteI better go take a walk outside in the cold air.
We agree dat you should contact da Facebook peeples and let dem know 'bouts dis page. So sorry dat dis has happened to you. :(
ReplyDeleteWoofs and Licks,
Maggie Mae and Max
I think this person who stole your photos is crazy!!!
ReplyDeleteI think you should let Facebook Handle it,, and then I would be tempted to let the whole world know about this thief! She has no right to take something from anyone and then make up a story-- saying the dogs are hers.
She sounds dangerous to me.
love
tweedles
I would go through Facebook and report her. I think that it's a safe channel and your best chance for recourse. At least she's just a nut on Facebook instead of someone who is actually trying to make a profit from your images.
ReplyDeleteDo it. That is absurd. People are truly nuts
ReplyDeleteMom
Lily & Edward
I don't know who Michael o'Neill is, but I agree with him 100%.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteAs one who cherishes the photos of my Army, no matter their quality I would be mortified to see someone else posting them as their "parent." As an artist I feel stealing the photos is no less theft than if you designed million dollar diamond jewelry and someone broke in and stole it. Please for yourself and the thousand of other victims pursue this through every channel you can find.
ReplyDeleteLots of good advice here, KB!
ReplyDeleteI like what Michael O'Neill stated so clearly. Don't engage this person in any way at all.
Cheers and hugs,
Jo
My comment was really dumb --- please delete it. And please do tell Facebook and let us know what happens.
ReplyDeleteIf FB doesn't respond why don't you email us the woman's name on FB and we could all complain too. Numbers might help.
How upsetting for you, KB! Why can't everyone just be honest and live their own life! grrrrrrrrrr
ReplyDeleteWe like Michael O'Neill's suggestion.
Love ya lots♥
Mitch and Molly
You should definitely report the abuse to FaceBook in every possible way, at every possible level.
ReplyDeleteI vigorously defend my copyrights when I see my pictures used without permission. On Facebook, I use the two step process - the first a polite note (all facilitated within the Facebook process) to the poster explaining that the photograph is mine and asking that it be removed. Most of the time, the photo disappears quickly.
ReplyDeleteWithout action from the offender, however, I complete the Facebook form and move forward with my complaint. I find it works reasonably well.
By the way, I find far more violations on Pinterest and use their process as well.
Just this week, I learned how to use Google Image Search to look for my own pictures (once I find a picture has been used in one place, it seems to appear in multiple).
Finally, I find most interesting the rationale that people use - including the oft held believed that you give up your copyrights when you post a picture on the internet. Wrong, wrong, wrong. A photographer owns the rights to the picture from the moment it is taken, regardless of where it is shared and regardless of whether a watermark appears on it.
Best of luck - but pursue the Facebook process!
I am sorry this is happening to you. I've heard of people doing this many times. It is so odd someone would claim something as part of their own life that they know isn't true. But people do many peculiar things. I would go through official channels. This woman is obviously not mentally stable.
ReplyDeleteI'd follow the Facebook route too as many others have pointed out...
ReplyDeleteMarilyn
KB - what a disgusting thing to do. It is the truly ugly side to social media and why my husband is dead set against me blogging (with pictures) - I have often asked him if I could start a blog about our life with Indy and he is afraid of exploitation. I don't have any good advice but it seems most people are saying go the Facebook route. I truly hope this person will do the right thing and own up to the fact that he/she stole your photos.
ReplyDeleteI'd go through the formal FB channels. It doesn't seem like it would go well if you tried to contact her directly.
ReplyDeleteI can't believe people do this! I wouldn't even know how to do a search to find out if anyone is doing this with Blueberry's pics - not that they are great pics anyway. How did you even find out?
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteIt's too bad this is getting to be such a problem. There are several sites that are stealing bloggers photos. Go get them!!
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry to hear this! I've experienced something very similar - which is why my more recent photos have a HUGE, irritating copyright right smack in the action. It's happened before, but most recently, someone was taking my photos of my dogs off Flickr and the blog, cropping off my watermark, putting her own on, and passing them off as her dogs. A fellow blogger saw them on InstaGram, recognized them, and let me know. She ignored my comments to take them down, so I reported as many as I could to Instagram as copyright infringements. They took them down - but she is still there, saying "Oh I don't know where my photos went" to her followers. I commented as to "why" they were taken down, and she deleted my comments. What irritates me the most is that it's an invasion of my personal space - if that makes sense. She made up new names for them, said she had rescued them, made up all kinds of twisted stories - not only about Zim, Cam, and Maggie, but about pups I've lost (like your K). It hurt for me to see them and angered me more than I should let it.
ReplyDeleteI would contact FB and let them know it's a copyright infringement. That seems to get the attention of site owners.
I'm really sorry this has happened to you. I hope you can get them taken down.
KZK
OMG!!! I am not a good photographer, but I would be incensed if someone took a picture of one of my dogs and claimed them as their own. It's not just the photos, it's MY dog...I might send a message to the person and give them 24 hours to remove the photos and then go to FB, but absolutely follow through on this - that is not only illegal, it's really unethical and tacky! You could also just tell us who it is and we can go make nasty comments on their wall :) Just kidding.
ReplyDeleteThis is horrible! I just cannot fathom someone with such an obvious identity crisis to try to steal someone else's. Definitely go the FB route. Good luck and please let us know the outcome.
ReplyDeleteWhat Michael O'Neill said.
ReplyDeleteThats horrible! How can she do like that?
ReplyDeleteI would go to FB to get her out.
I am not in FB so I dont know if you succeed.
THe quuestion is why???
Hugs!
Majsan/
Go through Facebook and don't contact this person directly. I see you're using a watermark now which I am also doing because Pinterest users pin many of my photos. You may even have to put your mark onto the dogs so there can be no cropping and reusing. I find this frightening and a real abuse of ownership.
ReplyDeleteThat is creepy! Definitely go through Facebook to get the pictures removed, this weirdo probably would love to start some drama with you. It's strange that her friends and family from real life, if she has any, wouldn't make comments like "when did you get those dogs?"
ReplyDeleteSo annoying, when you're the one training, exercising, cleaning up after, feeding and paying the vet bills. Hope you can get this corrected soon!
This is just awful! Although we have not read others' recommendations, we suggest you follow the Facebook procedures and fill out the form. I'd also contact the writer of the FB page in writing and threaten a big fat lawsuit! But don't be general, be specific in your charges and give her a deadline to remove them-like 48 hours. Then follow up promptly at the 49th hour with escalated threats if they are not removed.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't matter about your reasoning (meaning how you feel about the photos) - just stick to the legal issues. she's obviously a nut and an emotional appeal likely won't work, but a legal threat might. Good luck!
I'm so sorry this has happened to you, and I'm glad to know you are taking appropriate steps. I hope FB is able to resolve this issue. It's too bad one jerk spoils so much for so many. But as I also try to tell myself when this happens to me, plagiarism is a stupid and ignorant form of flattery. That's not how the real saying goes, but I see nothing at all sincere about theft of copyright materials. Good luck with getting this cleared up.
ReplyDeleteI don't know if you have your own FB page or not, but if you don't make one. You don't have to populate it, you just want to protect your name. Then definitely report her. They will take her page down. Then keep your eye open for her to do it again under another name, because she probably will.
ReplyDelete