When I first heard about pinterest, the site where people 'pin' images they've found on the internet, I was a bit suspicious about it. This seemed to be the ideal opportunity for people to copy images they didn't have a right to use. However, as pinterest links back to the image's original website, it seemed ok.
There are lots of interesting collections of images there and I get notification e mails from time to time. Today I got one to this super sashiko image board. I was rather surprised to see the image above as a pin. You see, it is one of the reference scans I made when I was stitching the samples for my first sashiko book, not something I had ever put out on the internet - as far as I can remember. I really can't work out how it got there.
Even more puzzled, I clicked on the image and it took me to this blog. It is definitely my scan, although the file name has been changed. The blog post was from 2009, and my original scan is dated May 2004. How did it get there?
As I'm not credited, I left a comment asking how the blogger had found the photo. Did I post it here? I am very puzzled how it got out there. As far as I know, these reference scans were just something I kept for my own work while writing the book - it was so I could check details while blocks were away for photography (I didn't have a digital camera then).
While pinterest will link to the image location, if the image has already been borrowed, it won't link to the original source.
5 comments:
I have never pinned pictures of my quilts on there but recently noticed pictures of my quilts on Pinterest. These had been lifted from Mamifleur's blog. I was aware that she'd put on lovely pictures and write ups about my exhibitions at Viville 2012 and 2014. The lifted pictures mostly did not mention my name. The only solution I could think of was to add a comment giving name of quilt and my website. This has produced a couple of friendly emails.
What else can one do other than be vigilant and comment?
That's why I always watermark my images with my name and website. We never know where our images will end up as they float around in cyberspace!
Hi Susan, I have your book and I took a look at the image. Since it is cropped in the book, it certainly looks like your scan somehow ended up online. Very strange. Is it possible that the publisher had copies that were somehow leaked? Anyway, I work with artists (who tend to have a lot of internet related copyright problems). Usually, at a minimum, the image should be credited, but it certainly shouldn't be used like this without your permission. If you contact the web host (Blogger.com/Google), they should remove it for you if this individual does not. (https://support.google.com/legal/answer/3110420?product=blogger&rd=2)
Jen
That blog seems to be inactive as no posts since 2012 so I doubt that you will get an answer.
People pin without the back link all the time. I've even had my watermark cropped off the bottom before the pin is completed. I post much less now.
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