Giving credit for things you put on your website but didn’t create is very important. The image I use in this layout was created by a designer on iStockPhoto, which I purchased. Because of the licensing of the file, I don’t have to disclose that I got the image from there, but I don’t see any reason not to. The way that site works, you can purchase an image for individual use, or you can pay a higher price to be able to put it on templates, shirts, etc. Because I’m only using it in a layout, I don’t need to pay the higher price. If I decide one day I want to set up a CafePress and use the girl image, I’d have to pay the $150.
illegal image
Today I happened across a site (link removed on site owner’s request) that uses some iStock images illegally. You can see she copied the image from the thumbnail preview because it still has the grey line through it in the exact place it is on the thumbnail at iStock. On her site (image to t he right incase she removes it) she lists a credit to iStockPhoto for the images, but does not link them. Their license does not say that you may use the image if you say you got it from here. It says you must purchase the rights to use the royalty free images, or you may not use them at all.
The point in my post is not to lecture her, maybe I shouldn’t have linked her at all, but to tell everyone else how important it is to follow the rules of the site you get your material from. If credit is necessary, make sure to link them on your site. If purchase is necessary, shell out the money or don’t use it at all. Once you get the stigma of being a copier or stealer, it’s very hard to dispell it.
If you are ever caught doing something like this, or are doing it now and didn’t even realize.. the best thing to do is publish an apology and remove the material or correct the situation by following the rules of the site you got the material from. I hope by the time anyone reads this she will have noticed what happened and removed it from her site.
If it was your hard work sitting on someone’s site that didn’t follow your rules.. what would you do?
First of all I have to say: OH MY GOSH, Lalaland.nu is back. Do you know how long I have missed this domain?! You were the person that inspired me to become a graphic site.
Second in the past when people didn’t credit me or claimed my work, I would go bonkers and send a troop full of friends after them.
Now that I am older I usually just send them an e-mail politely asking them to remove this because of this, or along those lines. If they ignore me or refuse I will contact their host about a breach in their user agreement, or the TOS. Nine times out of 10 the host will take their site down.
If all else fails then I can do nothing else, unfortunately. Maybe send them an official sounding legal e-mail.
Once again.. OMFG LALALAND.NU!!!! Hehe
Glad to hear I inspired such a great site. I really love yours. I’m even using some of your button bases.
Websites like iStock have legal teams though, and she could have a bit of a battle on her hands.
I’m very sorry! I didn’t realise I had to do more than link to iStock. I’ve already taken down the images, so if you could please take down my image and site it would be greatly appretiated. But thank you SO much for letting me know!
I am kind of trying to use this post as a lesson, this blog is created to help people create better websites. But I will remove your site link.
I’m very happy to hear that this wasn’t deliberate. I’ll visit you again soon, I hope to see some great new content.
Thank you so much! I feel so humiliated though. I’m still glad you told me.
I’m really sorry to bother you, but is there any way you could remove the name and link from my comments? I feel super silly right now.
Done. Feel free to comment elsewhere on my site with your real information. They won’t be linked and no one else will know it was you.
Oh gosh… all I can say is it sucks to be her. >_<
I really don’t understand why some people just don’t understand that using images which are supposed to be purchased is illegal…
I’m so happy you want to join my site! Just fill out the forum under the “Join” tab, please! We love new members
I know the feeling of graphic or content being taken without credited especially when there is a terms of usage for them to read. I usually send them an e-mail to either credit or remove those content and they would usually do that.
Some people are really ignorant of the copyright issues and I think this article would really help them.