Alert: VERY IMPORTANT: All CF users please read

[Cyclonepride]

Please tell me that gifs aren't a problem

 

[stateofmind]

Please tell me that gifs aren't a problem

This is sooooo disturbing. What could she possibly be signing? Floss with anger or you lose your teeth like me?

And yes, I know what we all see it as.

 

[Cyballzz]

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.

Chris please tell me this guy isn't at the center of this... if I lose him I have nothing left to live for.

 

[zwclones51]

I heard it was TallKidisTall posting the pictures. Can you just perma-ban him for it and call it good with Gettys!

 

[Clonefan32]

Getty images is a fairly well-known copyright troll, that tries to extort money from people hoping they will just give in to their tactics.

But really we really need serious reform of all of our intellectual property laws, from copyright (it shouldnt be the perpetual license it is today, for one, and it needs to adapt to the internet) to patents (which have gone completely idiotic in the tech world).

Oh way to go, now CF is going to get sued for defamation of character! Chris, I think it is time for you to form your own LLC to protect your millions in personal assets. Hide behind that corporate veil to make sure they can't touch your fortune.

 

[Cyclonick182]

Ahhh Getty..... They tried this shtick with the gym I was managing a few years ago. The real kicker was the images on our website that they claimed were stolen were pictures we had taken and posted on our site. They're money hungry weasels.

 

[State43]

Who were the 2 users and what were the pictures? Either way, I blame Cyber & Ellen :twitcy:

 

[Topshelf]

Can someone post the pictures that caused the problem? I want to make sure I don't use them in the future.

Thanks

:v_SPIN:

 

[TXCyclones]

I didn't get past Chris' first post without wanting to know what the pics were, where I can get them, and the insatiable need to post them over and over on every Halkeye, Baylor, TTU, KSU, UT, and OU board I can find! Must. Post. Pictures!

 

[State43]

I didn't get past Chris' first post without wanting to know what the pics were, where I can get them, and the insatiable need to post them over and over on every Halkeye, Baylor, TTU, KSU, UT, and OU board I can find! Must. Post. Pictures!

phog forum

 

[klamath632]

I heard it was TallKidisTall posting the pictures. Can you just perma-ban him for it and call it good with Gettys!

I concur. TallKidIsTall may die, but that is a sacrifice I am willing to make.

 

[Palmer]

I was not aware Estelle Getty was such a lawsuit monger.

 

[uro cy]

Someone needs to introduce anonymous to Getty.

 

[VeloClone]

Someone needs to introduce anonymous to Getty.

Can't do it. Getty "owns" this image:

 

[klamath632]

Can't do it. Getty "owns" this image:

Weird. My experience tells me that Anonymous usually decides the question of ownage.

 

[CarlHungus]

So does this mean all of our avatars are copyrights too? Fight the man Chris!

 

[Farnsworth]

Screenshot with my iphone, crop down a bit (leaving a bit of screen showing), post...that's my photo. :twitcy:

In all seriousness, this is pretty interesting. This of the Dos Equis guy's photo that has been meme'd beyond belief...they could make a ton of bucks if they hunted down every site that used it.

Wouldn't this be the same scenario as YouTube? On YouTube you can use whatever video you want, you just can't profit from previously protected content.

Were these pictures being hosted on a cyclonefanatic server? If people are hotlinking to other websites, it would be on whoever is hosting the actual picture, not the forum.

 

[RayShimley]

This case perhaps? Viacom International Inc. v. YouTube, Inc. - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



This one is still under appeal. The Wikipedia article makes it sound that the hang-up is based on how much infringement was known by the YouTube employees. Safe Harbor protection requires (I think) that the provider (YouTube, or CF in our case) not be aware of the infringement until the copyright holder makes them aware of it. Apparently there were emails between YouTube employees talking about infringement that was not being dealt with, and this opens YouTube to potential liability.

This "Viacock" company sounds like a real piece of work!

 

[urb1]

Going by the letter of the law, I would think half the avatars / signatures with ISU or professional team logos are in violation. Just crazy that someone has the time to search a web site for stuff like this.

 

[Cyfan4good]

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

Chris, If the lawyers say you and the mods are responsible for those bills i'm good with that. Let us know if they say the cost should be passed on to the actual posters though.