Thread: Copying photos of children from my site and other stealing

I am very distressed that another dancer has copied photos of my students who are children from my site. This just seems like such a deep violation. I have permission from the parents of the kids who take classes, are involved in my children's troupe Happy Hips or have had belly dance birthday parties. I confronted this person and she has agreed to take the photos off. However her resonse was, "It isn't illegal." Really? Although I am not a lawyer, stealing photos of children goes so far beyond the bounds of morality that I can't even see that far.

There is another dancer closer to home who copies my marketing ideas, web text, etc. It is almost a joke. Every time I post something new on my web site, within two weeks she has changed hers to encorporate my new material. She doesn't copy word for word, she just takes all of my ideas and uses them as her own.

I guess what I want to say is that even though we are all engaged in similar dance forms, there is enough room for each of us to share our own unique voice and gifts. If you don't have a voice then I lovingly encourage you to find your own.

Sorry you are going throgh this.

I would start putting watermarks in my photos (or at least write your name on them).

I'm not a lawyer but I think it is illegal to take someone else's photo and use it as your own.

Do you have a disclaimer on your site saying photos property of...?

Hugs

It's sad and it happens frequently. It's happened to me before. Unfortunately, many artists don't apply the same creativity to their marketing as they do to their performance

Imitation is a common phenomenon in the arts community. If you're doing something well, people will copy it. Sometimes, it's very flattering, especially when somebody says, "I had my website redesigned and used yours as an inspiration." My promo photos have inspired a lot of people, too, and I'm very proud of that.

Then, there's the other stuff. I've had competitors steal entire phrases from my website and attempt to poach restaurant clients of mine. It used to aggravate me to no end, but then I realized that nobody will ever be me. After all, they don't do what I do, nor do they do it better than me.

Also, if you make it a point to continually evolve and improve as an artist, it will become even more impossible for anybody to replicate your success. Sure, they may try, but they will fall flat on their faces - and it can be quite entertaining to watch ..l;,

oh I'm so sorry, I'm not full of advice today, I'm sure some other Bhuzzers out there will have some, just commiseration.

I had a dancer copy my bio virtually word for word off my website changing just a very few key words, like the name and um, very little else. It kind of irked me because it was this bio that was used in a newspaper article written about this dancer in a local paper (I have not gotten coverage in that paper at all) but I let it go without saying anything. I figured in that circumstance any comment I made would make me look small. I was thinking I wanted to improve my bio anyway.

Truth is I really don't mind somebody being inspired by something on my site like the copy or the photos, but if you are going to borrow at least change the copy enough to really make it your own.

Taking and using promotional photos I find more reprehensible. Appropriate "inspired by" in this circumstance would be more along the lines of saving a photo as reference for a pose in your own shoot.

Originally Posted by shems

I had a dancer copy my bio virtually word for word off my website changing just a very few key words, like the name and um, very little else. It kind of irked me because it was this bio that was used in a newspaper article written about this dancer in a local paper (I have not gotten coverage in that paper at all) but I let it go without saying anything. I figured in that circumstance any comment I made would make me look small. I was thinking I wanted to improve my bio anyway.

Yeah, that's how I reacted when somebody copied my bio. Sometimes, it's better just to stay ahead of the curve

Hugs honey. I know you don't deserve to be treated like this.

Yes, it it illegal to copy a picture off of a website and use it for your own. Unless the photo is under a Creative Commons license you can assume that there is a copyright protecting that work. The government has it set up so that anytime you create an original work (be it writing, photos, choreo, etc) you are automatically the copyright holder and you own all rights to the work.

The problem is that it is too hard/lengthy/expensive to prove this in court. Tell her what she is doing is against copyright law and you are within your bounds to ask her to remove the photos.

Re: local dancer...don't bait her by bringing it up...just keep on keeping on.

Chin up! XOXO :)

It IS illegal to use a picture of someone to sell something without their permission. You have no rights over a photo of you if someone is using it for news or 'art' - but the moment they start selling soap, cars or dance lessons with it then they need to have permission from the folks in the picture (or their parents) to use it. The parents should probably be notified.

Pictures of kids on the internet is a hot topic. Do we expose the children to dangers from strangers if we allow the kids to be identified in any way? Myself, i'd use pictures of kids facing away from me if I used them at all.. which you may already do.

Originally Posted by SatinWorship19

After all, they don't do what I do, nor do they do it better than me.

Wow, that's a loaded sentence.

Originally Posted by Sadiyabellydancer

However her resonse was, "It isn't illegal."

She's wrong.

Assuming she put the photos on her own web site to sell her own services as a teacher, vendor, or performer, then she broke the law by failing to get the permission of each and every person appearing in those photos (or the permission of the parents, in the case of the children). Every one of those people would have a legal case against her for using their image in a commercial way.

Every photographer who snapped one of those photos would also have a valid case against her. Photographers own the rights to decide when/where their photos will be displayed, and if they didn't give her permission to put the photos they snapped on her web site, then she broke the law there, too.

Finally, there is the concept of a "compilation copyright" which prohibits Person A from copying everything on Person B's web site and posting it on their own, even if the individual photographers and people appearing in the photos gave their permission. Ie, if she put up a page that has a whole lot of photos from your site, she would be in violation of that.

Originally Posted by Sadiyabellydancer

... I confronted this person and she has agreed to take the photos off. However her resonse was, "It isn't illegal." Really? ...
.

As others have mentioned, she is flat out wrong.

Originally Posted by shems

I had a dancer copy my bio virtually word for word off my website changing just a very few key words, like the name and um, very little else. It kind of irked me because it was this bio that was used in a newspaper article written about this dancer in a local paper (I have not gotten coverage in that paper at all) but I let it go without saying anything. I figured in that circumstance any comment I made would make me look small. I was thinking I wanted to improve my bio anyway. ...
Truth is I really don't mind somebody being inspired by something on my site like the copy or the photos, but if you are going to borrow at least change the copy enough to really make it your own.

Shems, this is awful.
There's someone local who is often rather "inspired" by my copy as well.
BUT, your BIO? That's insane. She doesn't have the exact same dance background, education, experience as you. Some people are crazy.

Originally Posted by andalee-oriental

Wow, that's a loaded sentence.

Not really. Maybe I didn't really make myself clear. If I ever say that nobody will ever dance as well as me, then that'll be the day I flounce for good .w.:

What I meant is that it's impossible to replicate somebody else's style right down to the quirky stuff that sets them apart as individuals. Nobody will ever be more Lisa Carrara Satin Worship Nour than me, and nobody will ever be more Andalee than Andalee, or more Jillina than Jillina. People can attempt to carbon-copy another dancer if they wish, but it will always come across as second-rate and never quite live up to the original. So why not be unique? That's all

You might want to contact the parents of the children to let them know. If it were my kids, I'd go after them with the law and report them to the police. In fact, you might find it very effective to tell the pirate that you HAVE contacted the parents of the children in question.

If you are in Rochester, I just saw your website. You have a copyright notice on the bottom. Write the theft a letter telling her she has violated copyright notice (list them), give her a date to remove the material from her website and send the letter certified mail, return receipt requested. If she doesn't remove your material by the date, hire a lawyer to write a letter. That should take care of the matter.

I wouldn't involve the parents in your copyright battle at this point in time. Good luck, this sucks!

I have a question on this I just had a new website made for me by ria enjolie they have you pick a background and basically you send them stuff and they put it into your website, some of it they reworded, it is much better than what I had(vistaprint when i cancelled I lost all of my info I could not access it and had to start from scratch)Also my bio stinks on my home page, but I am not very marketing oriented any ideas since I saw Satins website, I was wowed., and there were pics from the party I did, one of the children I have permission from the parents the others only one you can even really see, but they are on a webpage that is not up front and I do not know the participants names nor the parents which I could probably get... Am I in violation of something there? ???? most you cannot see the faces except one other child, your comments appreciated Zahrah Bellydance & Yoga BY Indira - Home.

It's really hard to get everyone's permission for a photo, which is why we have almost none. There was a recent thread by a bhuzzer who had the PERFECT wedding picture but the groom ix-nayed being shown to the world dancing and having a great time (sorry) so that was that.

Cannot advise you on the legality of having unidentifiable people in the picture. I'd GUESS that if they cannot be identified then they can't prove they are in your picture therefore it is not a legal issue but I sure might be wrong!

Duplicate entry.

Originally Posted by shems

I had a dancer copy my bio virtually word for word off my website changing just a very few key words, like the name and um, very little else. It kind of irked me because it was this bio that was used in a newspaper article written about this dancer in a local paper (I have not gotten coverage in that paper at all) but I let it go without saying anything. I figured in that circumstance any comment I made would make me look small. I was thinking I wanted to improve my bio anyway.

IMO, a business letter to the editor of the paper and the reporter will not make you look petty, it will make you look PROFESSIONAL. Don't make any demands, just inform in a polite way that you were surprised to see an almost-word-for-word copy of your biography on your website published in their paper as Dancer X's biography.

If the newspaper stole your biography and used it as fill for their article (or even created the article without interviewing the dancer! See recent discussion on Biz of Bellydance tribe ) then they need to know that you know that someone in their organization is stealing copy. If they DID do an interview and published the biography in good faith then they'll want to know it was plagarized and word will get around... people in other walks of life like to gossip and network as much as dancers do.

Originally Posted by SamiraShuruk

As others have mentioned, she is flat out wrong.


Shems, this is awful.
There's someone local who is often rather "inspired" by my copy as well.
BUT, your BIO? That's insane. She doesn't have the exact same dance background, education, experience as you. Some people are crazy.

It was adjusted, she changed a few key points, she didn't literally pretend to be me. Sort of like this:

Tits LaRou has been dancing for 7 years and is fabulous. She is an expert in shakin it, movin it and ringalingin' it.

Tits LaRou's bio borrower Suzy:

Suzy NippleTassles has been dancing for 10 years and is fabulous. She is an expert in shakin it, movin it and crackalakin' it.

It was unmistakable what the source was, but there was a little customization, a little like a mad lib, but with less variety. Oooh....Belly Dance MAD LIB bio! I want to make one!

Originally Posted by shems

Oooh....Belly Dance MAD LIB bio! I want to make one!

Oooh Ooooh! Me too!

Originally Posted by laura 2

Oooh Ooooh! Me too!

I did a Mad Lib profile for an online dating site. It said nothing about me because it was full of blank lines but it was rather amusing.

Also, I agree with the other folks, stealing photos is not legal. I had one of my photos from my photography website embedded on someone's poetry site. They didn't even copy the photo. They just linked it from my website. So, they were using my photo and my bandwidth without credit. Found out about it while scanning the Urchin stats and immediately emailed and asked them to remove it.

Oh my Sadiya! I feel ya on the copy infringement...

But for me it was not just another dancer who copied but someone I had studied under for a time (and looked up to). Not wholesale copying - but she def used from my ideas/wording. As she has been involved with the biz side of BD longer than I, is better known, and has bigger advertizing budget- I would get REALLY bent out of shape over it a lot of times. I have since redone everything (from my website, to marketing materials - creating a uniqeness that is unmistakenly mine) so if any of it gets usurped now, people will def know where it originated...

Chandra, that is... mind blowing.

call the police!