Alert: VERY IMPORTANT: All CF users please read

[ChrisMWilliams]

I got a scare today.

In the mail came a note from Getty Images, basically charging CF for $1600.

This came to us as the result of two images that were posted by a couple of our users back in 2012.

POINT: Stealing copyrighted images off of the net and posting them on this site is not acceptable. Period. So PLEASE, I beg you, do not do it. If it ain't yours and/or you don't have permission to use it, don't post it.

The good news is that I explained to Getty what our site was, how this happened and we removed the photos immediately. We were not required to pay the $1600 fine.

Thanks for your time.

 

[Stewo]

Lol

Internet.

 

[3TrueFans]

How does that even work? People post pictures all the time, how is anyone supposed to know if it's a copyrighted picture that can't be used?

 

[theantiAIRBHG]

How does that even work? People post pictures all the time, how is anyone supposed to know if it's a copyrighted picture that can't be used?

This was going to be my inquiry. I'm assuming if its from Google or Bing its fair game?

 

[ChrisMWilliams]

I am in the process of reaching out to some lawyers to see what is fair game, what is not.

 

[SoapyCy]

all your pictures are belong to us

 

[carvers4math]

That's fairly vigilant, albeit tardy, on their part. Glad you were able to work it out.

 

[cyfan964]

That's just insane. I don't see any way that that would ever hold up in court. If it was on the internet, didn't have a copyright blatantly listed on the photo itself I don't know how you could ever have to pay unless they could PROVE you were the person who posted it first. I'm curious to hear what you find out.

 

[3TrueFans]

If I can't post funny pictures anymore my posts per day is going to decrease dramatically, and that can not happen. We must assemble the finest team of internet picture lawyers the world has ever seen.

 

[jaretac]

I got a scare today.

In the mail came a note from Getty Images, basically charging CF for $1600.

This came to us as the result of two images that were posted by a couple of our users back in 2012.

POINT: Stealing copyrighted images off of the net and posting them on this site is not acceptable. Period. So PLEASE, I beg you, do not do it. If it ain't yours and/or you don't have permission to use it, don't post it.

The good news is that I explained to Getty what our site was, how this happened and we removed the photos immediately. We were not required to pay the $1600 fine.

Thanks for your time.

Not trying to get off track here, but I've always wondered if you spell out the word Period and then put a period after it, is that like saying "Period period". Is the second one for extra emphases.

Back on topic, I'm with 3TrueFans. So many images are stolen and reposted by other sites and the one you find has no resemblance of being copyrighted or stolen. You can't assume that everything is copyrighted can you?

 

[LutherBlue]

I am in the process of reaching out to some lawyers to see what is fair game, what is not.

The person who takes the photo owns the photo. If you copy it without permission, you do so at your peril -- you'd better hope it goes unnoticed, is within the fair use exception (good luck), or the copyright holder doesn't care.

 

[SoapyCy]

google went to court and successfully defended that a hosting site/message board could not be held liable for what members posted.

 

[Cycl1]

So how do sites like meme generators work? Do they just get sued nonstop?

 

[3TrueFans]

Basically any internet forum that has ever existed is probably at risk of copyright claims from something at some point I'm guess.

 

[3TrueFans]

google went to court and successfully defended that a hosting site/message board could not be held liable for what members posted.

Well there we go.

 

[jaretac]

This was going to be my inquiry. I'm assuming if its from Google or Bing its fair game?

No, google and bing pop up copyrighted images. I know Wikipedia is fair game, but beyond that it is just how that site or person wants to do it. There doesn't have to be a copyright symbol, I don't think there even has to be a note saying the image is copyrighted as long as they have it in their "site legal".

 

[ChrisMWilliams]

google went to court and successfully defended that a hosting site/message board could not be held liable for what members posted.

Got a link to this?

 

[Cy$]

Basically any internet forum that has ever existed is probably at risk of copyright claims from something at some point I'm guess.

this gives me an idea....






(HN)

 

[theantiAIRBHG]

No, google and bing pop up copyrighted images. I know Wikipedia is fair game, but beyond that it is just how that site or person wants to do it. There doesn't have to be a copyright symbol, I don't think there even has to be a note saying the image is copyrighted as long as they have it in their "site legal".

Talk about grey areas.

 

[iahawkhunter]

google went to court and successfully defended that a hosting site/message board could not be held liable for what members posted.

Section 230 of the DMCA (a.k.a. "Safe Harbors"): US Internet Law/Section 230 - Wikibooks, open books for an open world

U.S. Federal law provides that "No provider or user of an interactive computer service shall be treated as the publisher or speaker of any information provided by another information content provider." 47 U.S.C. §230(c)(1), and that "[n]o cause of action may be brought and no liability may be imposed under any State or local law that is inconsistent with this section." id. § 230(e)(3)).

IANAL, but I thought as long as CF is responsive to takedown requests they would be protected by section 230. As posters we shouldn't try to get CF flooded with such requests, but given how many images that are posted to CF don't have easily discernable copyright information I don't know what reasonable requirements should be in place. From a practical point of view, once something is available on the public web there is no way to control its use.