Thieves
12:01 PM
UPDATE:
The thief was caught! In reality, a much less exciting success, but I received this email from the google team in response to my complaint I filed.
Hello,
Thank you for your note.
In accordance with the DMCA, we have completed processing your
infringement complaint and the content in question no longer appears on
the following URL(s):
Please let us know if we can assist you further.
If anyone else has had their conent blatantly stolen and reposted as someone else's idea, go here to file a formal complaint, and I've been surprised google removed her post so fast.
________________________________________________________________________
In this crazy niche of the internet known as crafting blogs, it's not surprising to see ideas reproduced or tweaked. Hopefully most of us give credit to the other bloggers when we have been inspired by or actually used their tutorial. That's kind of what it's all about to me, sharing ideas and getting ideas for free with other crafty, creative people out there.
The thief was caught! In reality, a much less exciting success, but I received this email from the google team in response to my complaint I filed.
Hello,
Thank you for your note.
In accordance with the DMCA, we have completed processing your
infringement complaint and the content in question no longer appears on
the following URL(s):
Please let us know if we can assist you further.
If anyone else has had their conent blatantly stolen and reposted as someone else's idea, go here to file a formal complaint, and I've been surprised google removed her post so fast.
________________________________________________________________________
In this crazy niche of the internet known as crafting blogs, it's not surprising to see ideas reproduced or tweaked. Hopefully most of us give credit to the other bloggers when we have been inspired by or actually used their tutorial. That's kind of what it's all about to me, sharing ideas and getting ideas for free with other crafty, creative people out there.
But there are of course losers that just steal your idea.
But what's worse is when they blatantly steal your idea in an attempt to profit financially from it.
Like this blog called In the Garden with Mary. I received an email from Jenna at Sew Happy Geek telling me this Mary had totally ripped off my lattice decor pillow tutorial. I'd give the link to this Mary's thieving blog, but "Mary" will just delete any negative comments and probably love all the traffic, so I'd say just stay away from In the Garden with Mary, none of her ideas are original and apparently most come from Craft Gossip anyway.
Jenna's tutorial was also plagiarized on this lame garden blog and this is how she feels about it.
My lattice tutorial was copied exactly, obviously removing my name/ signature from the bottom, but all the text and every photos were posted with no reference to me.
There's not much you can do, I've filed a formal complaint to try to get Google to delete the Mary Garden blog, as Jenna did also. "Mary" doesn't have her info to contact her directly and all negative comments are deleted each day.
So basically my point is I'll have to break down and first figure out how to add watermarks to my photos, and second thank Jenna for keeping her eye out and letting me know my work had been stolen and anyone else who's been plagiarized to let each other know, and just keep filing these formal complaints.
I have mixed feelings on this. Obviously kind of ticked and mad someone would be so lame to just steal other's ideas and post it on a blog to try to make money. I post my idea, steps, and photos as a free offering to anyone who would be interested, so I gave it away essentially and you can't follow everything you throw on your blog....I just hope I won't let a little blog stealing bug me enough to ruin my day....
....because I'm actually on vacation visiting family and have been having a lot of fun, like this big mud fight with my nieces and nephew.
I guess in reality it's just a blog and there's more important things in my life that could be stolen.
On a positive note, this chubby girl is starting to smile but this is the best I could catch.
So thanks for tolerating my venting, and I'm off to google "Making a Watermark in Photoshop Elements".
27 comments
I use elements and make watermarks - - pretty easy, you can do it!
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry this happened to you and your friend. People are lame! You might look into "publishing" your blog under a Creative Commons license. This allows you to specify under what conditions your work can be used/reproduced - AND gives you a formal way to go after the Lame Mary's of the world.
ReplyDeletehttp://creativecommons.org/
This is unthinkable! This is not a case of designing similar items! She totally stole your HTML! Ridiculous. Add watermarks to your images! If you want to know how, email me - I'd be happy to help you!
ReplyDeleteGosh, every time I encounter a big jerk, wrecking the honor system for the rest of us, I get really ticked!
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry that happened to you. TipJunkie had a couple of posts which may help you out.
http://www.tipjunkie.com/how-to-protect-your-ideas/
http://www.tipjunkie.com/protect-your-ideas/
What a crook!!! People have no shame! I am sorry that this happened to you. Watermarks a good idea. I guess we should all add them to our photos.
ReplyDeleteThat is so frustrating!
ReplyDeleteI use Photoshop cs3 to watermark. Just put type over your photo in a color similar to the majority of the pic and then play with the opacity of the text to make it see through.
oh no! i am so sorry that happened to you jessica! i have wondered about adding watermarks to my pictures too. i don't really like the way it looks but it seems necessary to protect ones work. try to let it go and enjoy your time with your family!!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness! I can't believe someone would just steal a whole tutorial you have spent time and effort putting together and been kind enough to share with us all, and clearly not feel remorse. I'm so sorry you, bit you're also right in that there are so many things more important...baby girl is getting kore gorgeous in every photo! xxxxx
ReplyDeleteThis is so dishonest! I like the suggestions from the other blog friends posted.
ReplyDeleteOh, man, can I SO identify with you!
ReplyDeleteI cannot begin to count the number of tutorials that were stolen from me.
No one will send people to my blog or site to get the information. Instead, they rewrite it as if their own with their own images and post it so their readers will think they are worthy of reading.
I don't think I've ever had images stolen because most of mine that have been stolen were in video and then people take the method I came up with and write their own instead of pointing people to me.
It's been happening since 2005 for me -- and I just have to let it go.
BOO! I've seen this happen more and more. I'm sorry!
ReplyDeleteI stopped by the blog and made of couple of comments. Hopefully it will make other readers aware of the fact that these tutorials have authors elsewhere.
ReplyDeleteThe constantly changing set-up should tip them off...but if it doesn't, our comments will.
That's so awful that people have the nerve to steal your things... However, I snooped and found the blog and the tutorial she stole from you "is not found" so I think she took it down :)
ReplyDeleteSo sorry. I had a similar experience a while back. I did the same thing and reported it. Never heard back actually. The site I was on even stole posts with watermarked photos. sigh Off to search her site...
ReplyDeleteHer blog is gone!!! YEA for you! Blogger has removed her blog! Thanks for bringing this up, good reminder not everyone is honest!
ReplyDeleteI know this happens all the time but that certainly doesn't make it ok. The fact that she not only stole your pictures but also copied your tutorial word for word (and other people's too) is just lame and uncreative on her part.
ReplyDeleteThe good news is, it looks like Google has taken down her blog.
This happened to me last week with three of my tutorial posts. She took my posts and put them up word for word and only omitted photos that had watermarks on them. (I only watermark my finished photos). I literally became a thorn in her side until she removed my posts.
ReplyDeleteI'm watching her though and will let anyone know if I see their stuff on her site. At least til blogger pulls her off line. She has very little original posts on her site.
So sorry that you had to go through this too. There are idiots in the world, but what comes around, goes around.
suzy
Ok, everyone has said how I feel too so i will focus on the good!
ReplyDelete1. Your tutorial was so great that it had to be copied
2. Sooner or later others will figure out that the wonder blogger has no skill and she will go away
3. You had a blast in a mud fight with family
4. You can look in the mirror and see self respect
and 5. most important... You have an adorable baby that you get to see and squeeze those chubby little cheeks, and hold and love
That stinks. Why do people do that? If you can't come up with your own ideas and tutorials, don't steal someone else's. I've thought about using a watermark too. Sounds like a good idea.
ReplyDeleteyou go girl!! I really appreciate your blogs and ideas. You are very creative and are helping to keep the skill of sewing alive. don't think as many people sew any more and I love your ideas and easy instructions - you've taught me a lot. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteSo sad to know that someone would stoop so low as to steal your post/tutorial & idea. How someone can do this and feel good about themselves is beyond my comprehension. I was so angry reading your post and then I scrolled down further and saw that adorable little face with those sweet cheeks and couldn't help but smile. So Precious! Good for you for reporting the imposter/thief. Don't let someone like that rain on your parade.
ReplyDeleteHer blog is not longer up and running, yeah for Google!
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry you had that happen but at least it's taken care of now. Keep focusing on the positive and dont let the party poopers get you down! :) Oh, and I admire your willingness to have a mud fight. I don't think I could enjoy that because the whole time I'd be thinking about the laundry I'd have to do!
ReplyDeleteWell the trick is to have the mud fight at your mother in law's who is really easy going. I find I act like a kid a lot more with my nieces and nephews, and hope I will when my own kids are older. I had a really fun mom and hope I can be one too, although sometimes I'd rather get my chores done and not make more messes for myself. But I definitely remember and loved my mom playing in the snow or jumping on the trampoline with us, so hopefully I'll find balance with it all. The laundry was a pain though, I think I may have a permanently mud stained bra now.
ReplyDeleteYay! Your tute got removed! And she's been taken off of search engine searches, so that's a step forward. What I'm a bit peeved about is the fact that all the Google ads are still there? Ummm, what?!
ReplyDeleteI have been watermarking through picnik for free - it's tedious work but I'm not so good with Photoshop.
I'll also be doing a tutorial on Tuesday about copyright, Creative Commons, how to check if you've been plagiarised, watermarking, etc. So that might help you out a bit - none of it's complicated but unfortunately we kinda have to start paying attention to it :(
Hope you have a great weekend!!!
This happened to me several months ago and I just contacted the person...NO CLUE that I could contact google! Geez I wish I had known that earlier.
ReplyDeleteNow I am thinking I should watermark too!
The good news is there are GREAT people who watch out for each other.
Just Another Day in Paradise
that is just so rude!! I keep thinking I should do a small watermark...I really feel like they detract from photos, I find them a bit distracting; but I might have to do it, esp. as my photos are really improving. Glad it was removed!
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by, we love to hear from you!