posted on June 1, 2002 06:26:25 AM
The advice I get from you wonderful people here just by reading is great. This time, I have a question. I need to put a copyright symbol on my photos. I have a kook who has attached himself like a barnacle to my original images online. I use a Sony Mavica and Adobe 4.0. Any suggestions?
posted on June 1, 2002 06:40:20 AM
Using a "C" in parenthesises is the copyright symbol, just use your text tool in your graphics application to add it to your picture.
Having the symbol won't stop the theives though. In fact, the symbol is not even required anymore to enforce copyright, and they can remove it as easily as you can place it on the image.
Send them a warning to remove them or you'll report them to eBay. If they're linking to your pictures, you can really get them back by replacing the image with something else.
posted on June 1, 2002 06:41:03 AM
You really do not need to put a symbol on the pic. By law copyright exist from time of creation, symbol or not. I am sure there is some easy way to add the text to the pic, I just choose not to as it detracts from the pic.
Are the pictures still on your server? If so, just substitute them a real good picture! Something like a large sign that says this is a picture theif or something like that.
Notify eBay with all the relative information, and normally they will stop the auction.
posted on June 1, 2002 06:53:10 AM
You can create the copyright symbol by holding down the Alt key and typing 0169, but anyone seeing the pics on his auctions would probably just think it's HIS copyright anyway! Substituting the pic on your image hoster sounds like a better and more interesting way!
posted on June 1, 2002 07:27:11 AM
The best thing to do is to report him to Ebay.
I've had the same problem (actually, the thief stole both my images and my entire description verbatim!) and Ebay responded quickly.
posted on June 1, 2002 07:29:02 AM
The big problem is that he is using my photos and text to create a duplicate internet store website, as well as auctions. I have had the store for 5 years and now he has started one and I am, in effect, working for him as well as myself. I can't replace the pics with a horses's rear on my website. I have asked him to stop. The thing is he is a minister in town and I can probably embarass him into stopping rather than trying to take legal action if there is some ownership notation on my pictures. He asked for my help getting started selling online and it didn't occur to me for a minute what he planned to do. "No good deed goes unpunished", needless to say.
posted on June 1, 2002 09:54:54 AM"He asked for my help getting started selling online and it didn't occur to me for a minute what he planned to do."
Being a minister, and having asked for and obviously receiving your "help" probably gave him the notion it was OK to do what he has done. Sounds a bit naive' but I do know people (not necessarily all ministers) who really do not have a clue about how cut-throat/competitive business can and many times has to be.
I am surprised that if you asked him to stop he didn't! Especially since he is a minister. Of course, being a minister doesn't make one "perfect".
Maybe, you didn't really impress upon him that what he is doing not only really irrates you, but is actually perceived as theft by many and is an infringement on your hard work and violates certain copyright laws!
Maybe you should try again?
Just let him know that when you agreed to help him, you really had not counted on him duplicating your work. You would rather he not do that. It really isn't fair to you. Point him to some online sites that deal with copyright infringement issues and let him see how others view it.
I now put my company name on all my pictures. Yes, I know they can be cropped out, but I think, more often than not, people aren't really stealing from you with any conscious awareness of the fact they are indeed stealing. With your company name on the picture, they at least have to pause and think about it.
Normally, I am not bothered by lifting of a picture, but I would be upset with lifting of my text copy. That's just me.
If all else fails, you could notify him that you will have to start charging him a fee for using your pictures/text. Set a price and send him a "request" for funds through PayPal. It really is only a symbolic thing, but it can get one's attention!
posted on June 3, 2002 04:03:26 AM
i havent yet done this but ive seen it done and with paintshop pro you can add your username or store name to the photo. best is to just put it smack over the middle of the image. ok now normally its a bad idea because u cant see the picture but you can made the "signature" faded. kind of opaque. if anyone would like to know how to do this let me know and ill figure it out. i have no idea how to use any other paint program other than paint shop so i cant help on anything but psp.
posted on June 4, 2002 02:45:45 PM
one note. the copywright symbol doesnt offer any help at all. so what they snagged a pic with a copywright symbol. that does not prove it isnt theirs. they could easily say you snagged theyre pic. if it had your shop name or username then thats another story.
posted on June 6, 2002 10:01:18 AM
First of all a copyright symbol won't stop someone determined, but for most there are blocks that work, unless the user is a rather sophisticated, experienced computer person, and at that point I don't understand why one would steal a photo when they can most likely take one of their own as good or better.
Anyway, for many this will stop stealing...you can insert whatever "message" where I have put in "Please Visit Our ebay Store."
Put this in the html, right after "body", near the top of your ad:
********
<script language="JavaScript">
var message="Please Visit Our ebay Store !";
function click(e) {
if (document.all) {
if (event.button == 2) {
alert(message);
return false;
}
}
if (document.layers) {
if (e.which == 3) {
alert(message);
return false;
}
}
}
if (document.layers) {
document.captureEvents(Event.MOUSEDOWN);
}
document.onmousedown=click;
// -->
</script>
******
I would also suggest that you sign your name, id or something like that across your pictures, across the area of the item itself....then only someone with a good photography program can possibly take that off the picture.....even with the best programs, written across the item for sale, often it totally messes up the picture to try to remove it.
