Once you find somebody is ripping off your content what are the best actions to take? The host has an obligation once you make a complaint and prove you are the owner of the content to remove it or the host is now liable too right? And an AVS owner? Same thing? And how about the third party processor or if the person is doing their own processor whoever their merchant account is with? Does the Digital Millennium Act also make these people liable if they do nothing once you make a valid complaint?

For the amateur content we shoot for Hirise, if we find someone stealing pictures, we get Tim to send them a scary email telling them to take them down or... I think that was a Sickem Sig original. Usually they are taken down very quickly. lol

As for a site in SitePass using unliscenced content, I'd definitely delete the site from the system and contact the webmaster to find out what was going on, possibly ban him for using unliscenced content. Luckily we haven't had that problem yet.

I have a question..

years ago I published a magazine. When I went to the web I had a shit load of very public dom's do interviews and send pictures. I too found my picture showing up everywhere. I was told by someone that if you're a public figure the same rules don't apply. Is this true?

Many women do interviews as part of self promotion.

Thanks!

Everything about copyright has to do with the OWNERSHIP of the images, Dianna. If YOU took the photo, you OWN it (and the copyright), unless you sold the photo (and the copyright) to another party for their use. Plain as that. If I send you a picture that I took, I am NOT instantly granting you rights to use it. I still retain the copyright. And if you DO use it without my consent...:angry:

Public Domain has to do with BEING in public. If, for example, you were to come to Mardi Gras in New Orleans dressed to the 9's in bondage gear, and I were to snap a photo of you as you walked by, I - as the OWNER of the photo - am free to do with it anything I choose. Because you were IN PUBLIC when the photo was taken, you can't claim that you didn't consent to my taking the photo. Remember all those "girls gone wild" lawsuits that were filed? most are being thrown out of court - and this is why!

Edd thank you very much.

DV

Mutt if you need any help dealing with some copyright :matey: s, let me know.... we have ways of handling them.