My Photo Is Being Used To Advertise A Product

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hiredpower

New DJ
Sep 29, 2006
1,857
0
64
Indiana
Hi All,

I found a photograph I took and posted in another online forum, on a website yesterday. They are using it four times on three different pages to sell a two product costing $1000 and $1500.

I don't want to divulge much more, but this is a national retailer whose products range from $750 to over $200,000.

They never asked me for permision to use the photo. I used the "contact us" link to alert them to the fact that I am the owner of the picture, they stole it and to contact me.

I haven't heard back from them yet.
 
Are you 100% sure it's your pic?
 
Forget emailing . . . nobody with any kind of authority will ever see it.

Try calling the phone number, or even send a certified letter to the president of the company!

Not only will this get their attention . . . you'll also know whether they actually got the letter!
 
I think the hardest thing will be proving that it's your pic. In today's age, it's a simple right click to save an image. At best, they'll remove it from their site. Without being able to actually prove you took it, you can forget any monetary compensation.
 
I think the hardest thing will be proving that it's your pic. In today's age, it's a simple right click to save an image. At best, they'll remove it from their site. Without being able to actually prove you took it, you can forget any monetary compensation.


But if it's posted in a forum then wouldn't it be a little easier to prove that you were the first one post it?
 
Heck, if it were me, I'd let them use it as long as they gave me an advert on their site (with link of course).

If it's a national company, with products in that range, it could be the best advertising non-buck you ever didn't spend ;)


Proving you took the picture (if possible), will cost you more than it's probably worth (unless it's Brit without undys :))...
 
Thanks for the responses. The picture was taken in my back yard, so it is very easy to prove.

I can't say any more at this time. :)
 
Tell them you want a few for free and you will let them use the pic and you won't press charges. Also, tell them to send me one for free.
 
That's the problem with the internet it's so easy to steal someone elses property (in this case a picture) make a few small edits and call it your own.

Here is a screen shot of the EXIF data (photo properties) from the picture on that website, if your camera is a Canon PowerShot A80, it's definitely your picture.

View attachment 2642
(click for full size)
 

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Dan,

Check the date from that data and the date of my post, Same.

Check any of the pictures I have posted here from MBLV07...same camera!
 
Question.....Once it's posted online......does it fall into the definition of ...... "public domain"??? I don't know???