stop, thief!
People seem to think it’s ok because it’s the internet – it’s not really stealing is it? Except it is.
A fair bit of my website traffic comes from people searching for “wedding rings” on google images, for which I come up on page one. Around 100 or so visitors a day arrive in this fashion, and most of them continue on their way without any noticeable impact.
Inevitably some of these visitors are searching for a wedding ring image that they can use for some reason or another. One or two take the time to ask nicely which is great.
Sadly a surprising number of people completely ignore what I have said about stealing the picture and simply start embedding it into their own website. When this is some mypsace teen gushing angst and brain sick onto the web, I simply block it. In some cases I replace the image with a request not to steal. Most of the time I simply feel sorry for them, as pretty much nobody actually looks at their webpage.
I decided to have a little scan at who had been coming to my site over the last few weeks.
He’s happily blogging away sharing his life with the world at large. And getting about 1 visitor a month. Every day when nobody reads his rubbish blog, I imagine a little bit of his soul dies. So I’ll let it slide, and leave the image intact.
…just makes me feel sad. Very very sad. And slightly scared. “Look how loving and caring I am, I have a picture of wedding rings and a Mariah Carey song on my horrifying web page. Love me please” Um, no. I’ll be watching this one, poised to replace the image with something suitably inappropriate if the traffic starts to increase.
Now it gets a bit harder, over here…
…is a site that’s actually generating a fair bit of traffic, but seems to be one I simply can’t do anything about. It appears to be a website for survivors, presumably of horrible and often terminal illnesses. Can I replace the photo with a picture of a poo? Is that going to far? I fear that may be, even for a misanthropic fury machine such as myself. I have to draw the line somewhere…
These are just a selection of the naughty people who think this sort of behaviour is ok. I’ve got this far without really having a point. Stealing is bad, stay in school kids.
Oh and my replacement Leica should FINALLY be arriving on Wednesday, yay!
update I found some more.
And yet you can’t even supply your own photograph. Very classy, you massive horrible turds. Not sure I can let this particular one slide, after all they are a business, who am I, mr free stock photos? (The answer to that is no by the way, I’m not).
Seriously, what? I’m fairly sure this isn’t even written in English, I mean I only understand one or two words on there. I’m not thick either, so it must be foreign. Zut alors.
Now what? Oh look, another one. YOUR WEBSITE IS RUBBISH. Everything you stand for is a lie. At least I think so but again I can’t really understand the words. I know a thief when I see one though.
When will it end? Oh the humanity. This one just takes the piss I mean, COME ON! The picture doesn’t even fit, if you are going to steal at least have the decency to show the photo properly. Ronnie, is that any way to start your marriage – by stealing? Shame on you Ronnie. Shame on you.
I can’t stand it any more. Except I can becuase this is fun. Hee hee.
That’s all for now.
March 4th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
thieving bastards
-
pictures of the Leica please before you drop it!
March 4th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
you have to change the image – just a picture of a thief will do, swag bag and stripey t-shirt
March 4th, 2009 at 8:57 pm
I like the swag bag idea. Or how about an image that says “worst website, ever.”
Some of the suggestions I’ve had for replacement pictures can’t be written here for fear my website would start tripping nanny filters all over the world!
March 4th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
[...] stop, thief! [...]
March 5th, 2009 at 7:18 pm
Wow… You must stop taking so damn good pictures! Ha ha!
No, seriously… That many? I’ve starter discovering photo thieves too, but not in this scale.
People think that as soon as you post photos on the internet it’s for everyone’s free use. Bastards.
March 5th, 2009 at 9:38 pm
You’re right about that B. As soon as something is on the internet, a lot of people assume that it’s in the public domain and therefor they are free to do whatever they want with it.
March 5th, 2009 at 10:46 pm
Hey Ben
I’m one of those who has used your photos. I’ve searched for wedding rings in google pictures because I had written abour my best friend’s wedding.
I hadn’t realized it was causing you trouble that way. I feel sorry about it and will delete your picture from my blog.
Have a nice day
March 5th, 2009 at 11:05 pm
Well of course now I feel terrible. Since you took the time to apologise, I’ve sent you an email with a copy of the photo that doesn’t have my website name written on it.
March 5th, 2009 at 11:16 pm
Thank you. I’ll be more careful in the future not to use the artist’s work without permission.
Btw I really like your work !
August 3rd, 2009 at 4:03 pm
[...] you’ll see a post I wrote a couple of years ago with photos of our wedding rings – and over here you’ll see a post I wrote complaining about how many people keep stealing that photograph. So [...]