Have people used your pictures without your permission?

[mwedzi]

Have people used your hair pictures without permission? And if so, how did you feel about it?

There have been several times people have used my pictures without my permission. Since those are just the times other people have sent me messages to let me know, I assume there are others using my pictures that I don't know about.

I'm not very angry about it usually, though I wish they'd ask. A couple of times people have used them in a manner I don't approve of, though. One used my picture in a YouTube white supremacy video as an example of how black people were ugly. I just found another using it to not only proclaim the beauty of kinky hair, but as part of an ideology that associates white people's hair with death.

I mean, if you're going to use my picture, can it at least be for something neutral or "her hair is pretty" and not part of your racial propaganda?

Anyone else have similar experiences?

[JaneinMarch]

I don't think so, but I haven't been posting pics online for very long.

[spidermom]

Not that I know about, but I'm not sure I'd care.

[vanity_acefake]

Oh mwedzi that is horrible. You must have been so shocked and upset by the youtube video and the other web site. I think people should always ask permission before using someones photo otherwise it is a breech of your privacy. I hope you contacted youtube and had them remove that vile video.

[lastnite]

it would bother me, and it seems a little creepy. that's why I'm leery and cautious with posting pics online, it can get in anyone's hands anywhere.

with the youtube videos, I think you can contact the person who posted the video or youtube themselves and tell them someone is using your pics without your consent.

[spidermom]

What happened to your pictures sounds pretty darn creepy mwedzi. On second thought, I'd care a lot about that.

[FrannyG]

I've had mine used. I don't mind if it's just to show an example of a hairstyle, but I would be extremely upset if I were you of the use of your photo in such a hateful context.

I was once very upset when I found some of my hairstyle photos being used on a website where people auction off their hair. I found it myself in Google Image Search, only after the deal had been done. The "seller" claimed to have hip length hair, and showed my photos of examples of how she wears protective updos. Of course my hair was probably just below BSL at the time of those particular photos.

I was upset with that; I can't imagine how you must feel with your hair being used in any sort of hateful propaganda. I am so sorry you have to deal with this. :grouphug:

[mwedzi]

Oh mwedzi that is horrible. You must have been so shocked and upset by the youtube video and the other web site. I think people should always ask permission before using someones photo otherwise it is a breech of your privacy. I hope you contacted youtube and had them remove that vile video.

Thanks. yeah, I had YouTube take off the white supremacy video. I just found out about the other video a couple of hours ago. It also used the photos of a couple of other people I e-know, so I've sent them messages, too.

Franny, I can't believe someone was selling hair with your pictures! How criminal! I hope the buyer got their money back from that swindle.

[Igor]

Yea. I got a PM from someone here who had seen my pictures on someone else’s site. Unfortunately couldn’t find an email address to tell the loser to stop claiming the images was his/hers

I guess its one of the basic rules of the internet: Anything you put out there will most likely be abused by someone

[Themyst]

I discovered a website using one of my pics, but it was flattering, and vain that I am, I didn't say anything and they can use it all they want as far as I'm concerned. Now, if there is a negative connotation, that would be different! I figure if there is no ill-will, then that's fine by me.

mwedzi, that's really too bad that those hateful people did that to you. I'm so sorry! But, with our personal pics up for everyone to see, I suppose it could happen to any one of us. There's plenty of despicable people out there with all kinds of things to pick on. :nono:

[frizzinator]

Mwedzi, I hate to hear that your gorgeous photos were stolen and used for negative purposes. Were your photos stolen from this website? Please forgive me for all these questions, but this seems like an important topic.

Other than searching for key words, how would a person find a stolen photo?

If you find your stolen photo, then do you also try to find the website owner and send them a request to remove the photo?.... and then would you have to prove it's your photo?

Is a stolen photo always a hotlink?

[Spring]

Yes, that bothers me. If we're posting pics in our album and even our avatar only to be shared here, then it's violating that persons desires to take their pics.

Those are great questions frizzinator.

[david]

Yes unfortunately I have....by someone that used to be on this forum. I logged in one day to find out that someone was passing of one of my photos off as their progress reports. I was quite shocked when I saw it, quite upsetting at the time. Thankfully the person is no longer around. :)

[pinkbunny]

I have no idea if any of my photos are/have been stolen. I DO know that it is illegal to use photographs of anyone without their written consent (called a release), and you can actually sue the person who stole your pictures...

[TiaKitty]

Wow! I would hate that... I hope someone comes to answer frizzinator's questions, because now I'm curious.

[UltraBella]

That is just terrible, especially for it to be something racially motivated. I would be so angry and hurt, I am sad to hear that happened to you. Your hair is beautiful !
The only thing that has ever happened to me, to my knowledge, is strange and not Internet related. In my album there is a pic of me wearing my hair down covering part of my face, burgundy dress, with an inspire portraits logo.... Well, the photographer ordered a huge 30x40 print of that to hang up and someone stole it. What are they going to do with it ?!?!? Ridiculous that someone has a giant print of me and my hair. Bizarre.

[mwedzi]

Mwedzi, I hate to hear that your gorgeous photos were stolen and used for negative purposes. Were your photos stolen from this website? Please forgive me for all these questions, but this seems like an important topic.

Other than searching for key words, how would a person find a stolen photo?

If you find your stolen photo, then do you also try to find the website owner and send them a request to remove the photo?.... and then would you have to prove it's your photo?

Is a stolen photo always a hotlink?

They were not taken from here. I don't know where they were taken from. They are all in my Fotki, but they may have just generally ended up around the internet because I sometimes post pictures in threads using Photobucket.

I have never found a picture of mine myself. People email or PM me and let me know that they saw my picture somewhere.

Stolen photo a hotlink? I'm not sure I understand.

Really, I don't mind so much if they just want to show my hair style or what not. I only really mind that they used the pictures to further their racial ideology.

Ultrabella, I have to admit I laughed when you told that story. But it really is creepy. *shivers* What are they going to do with it?!

[theboredelf]

This has never happened to me, personally, but a friend of mine posted pictures of her newborn on her Facebook (publicly, so her relatives who weren't Facebook members could see them, too) and they showed up in an ad campaign for a local children's consignment shop. That case is still pending.

The racial connotation is really disturbing. I'm glad to hear YouTube took it down. I watermark a lot of my photos if I need to show detail. Any that I can't watermark I resize to tiny proportions. (Doesn't really matter with videos, I suppose, but it keeps my face off of billboards.)

[EdG]

Yes, I have had my pictures stolen. Men are not immune to that sort of thing.

Usually the context was good, but occasionally it wasn't. The worst offender received a takedown notice.

I generally avoid posting pictures on public sites.
Ed

[Yozhik]

That's really terrible, mwedzi! It just goes to show that people who make videos like that have no shame.

I have a question -- are the photos we put here on our albums visible to the public, or just LHC members? If it's the former, I think I'll go and take some down :(

[adiapalic]

That's absolutely horrible. I haven't found anyone to use my photos yet.. and I hope I never do. I'm sorry you have to put up with that.

[voluspa]

A few times. The most memorable was when I was 13 or 14 and some immature guy I talked to photoshopped my picture onto a hentai pic and posted it there. I was actually more upset by it years later, having gained more respect for women and myself in general. Now I just try to get on with it.

[BlueMuse]

I haven't that I know of, and I admit it would be upsetting to see something negative, but I assume as soon as something of mine goes on the internet in a public place that it could appear anywhere. Though I'm trying very hard to become a published writer so I'm just trying to get used to the idea of people talking about me/my work either positive or negative and I imagine pictures could go along with that.

[Gypsy]

A girl I used to work with told me my picture was on an escort site.
I got the address, looked and yep, it was a picture off an old profile I hadn't had for a long time. The time difference from when the picture was actually snapped and the time it showed up was about 20 pounds worth.:p
Anyway, I emailed the "contact us" and told them to immediately remove my picture as it was unauthorized and stealing my image, and they never took it down until the site itself was taken down.:mad:

[Loreley]

I'm sorry to hear that they stole your photos. This is really horrible! :nono:

[naereid]

That's terrible! I'm sorry it happened to you.


I have a question -- are the photos we put here on our albums visible to the public, or just LHC members? If it's the former, I think I'll go and take some down :(
Anything uploaded on a LHC album is not visible to the public. You can try logging out and checking for yourself. :)

[Purdy Bear]

It doesnt bother me that much. I dont post my best photographs on line, just because of that reason. My portfolio is securely put away, and doesnt see a pc, wether its online or not.

The only time it would make me angry is if my Alopecian photos were miss used, which Iv heard of on another forum. One poor lady's photo was used on a Cancer Awareness site, but she hadnt had Chemo, but Alopecia Univarlis for some years.

[Blandine]

Stealing photos is first of all a violation of copyright. If you are in the photo it is also a violation of your personal rights. I'd complain immediately.

[manderly]

For those who want to check if your photos are being used anywhere, try tineye. It's like google for images.
http://www.tineye.com/

[jackiesjottings]

What a horrible thing to happen :(((

I don't know of any of my hair photos which have been used without permission but I would be cross about it. Some of my flickr photos are on travel sites and the site owners have asked my permission first. I would be mega cross if any of my hair pics ended up on ****** sites though. I made a lot of my hair photos on flickr friends only because I had a few too many creeps adding me to their contacts.

[ilovelonghair]

No pictures of mine have been used, as far as I know, but and this is real freaky, someone used a picture of mine (from my website) to make a statue of me and sent the picture of the statue to me! LOL it was real ugly! Wish I didn't delete it, I could share it in this thread!

[frizzinator]

I think when you create an account with some of the 3rd party photo hosts such as photobucket, and you agree to their term and conditions, it indicates your photos may be used without your permission. Alternatively, I suppose you could host your photos on your own website.

[GlassEyes]

Ouch. ._X;;

Yeah, it's a rue of the internet--put your face out there, and you're at risk.

I've had two incidents that I know of--someone used my photos to make a fake myspace account, and then another -shudder- was a youtube slideshow.

The second one was the worst. It had been a person I had been takling to on a website, and she had taken a TON of my photobucket photos, made a slide show, and -here- is the kicker--replaced my sister's FACE in a photo of me and her, and put her OWN.

@___________________________@;;

[Isabel]

Not all stolen content is hotlinked, and not all hotlinked content is stolen. Hotlinking means that a website has a link to a picture (or other content) from another website. For example, uploading a picture to a site like photobucket and then posting it on a forum is technically hotlinking.

Hotlinking becomes questionable when somebody links to an image without permission to do so, or links images on a website as their own content without any clear indication of who the image really belongs to. It's not the only way to steal images, as people could just as well save images on their hard disk and upload them somewhere else. :(

[FrannyG]

I think when you create an account with some of the 3rd party photo hosts such as photobucket, and you agree to their term and conditions, it indicates your photos may be used without your permission. Alternatively, I suppose you could host your photos on your own website.

I'm fairly certain that if you have your settings set to "private" so that no one can go browsing through your albums without a password, Photobucket will not use your photos without permission.

Once you've linked the photo image to any website though, anyone who sees it can download it, and all bets are off. There are ways of preventing your photos from being downloaded using the right-click method, but people who want to can still find ways around it.

[RavennaNight]

Mwedzi that's terrible this happened to you!

I must say it must be easy though to use peoples pics without their permission. I googled pics for my LHC screen name, and my profile pic came up, along with the backs of heads of MANY members of this community and their avatars.

[cybernetica]

There was a time when some other person was using mt photos for their profile. I took it as a compliment, with that said if it would have been used for something so heinous as what was done with yours I would have been crazy with rage. Unfortunately there is nothing safe about the net and its a use at your own risk world in here. Karma will get those kind of people in the end.

[CelinaStarr]

Mwedzi, I'm so sorry to hear this. This is why I don't post pictures with my face on public websites. I had one poster post a pic of my hair without my permission on a thread over at the LHCF. I was a bit taken aback even though it was positive.

I would also recomend for everyone not to use the same user name on multiple message boards. Try to think of different user names. Type your user name on search engines and see what comes up. It makes it so easy for stalkers to look up your information and track you. Be careful what information you post about yourself too. You'll be surprised who's out there lurking looking you up.

I wish there were more laws or something to better protect our privacy on the internet. Googling myself and seeing information about me pop up is so creepy.

[mwedzi]

No pictures of mine have been used, as far as I know, but and this is real freaky, someone used a picture of mine (from my website) to make a statue of me and sent the picture of the statue to me! LOL it was real ugly! Wish I didn't delete it, I could share it in this thread!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v194/mwedzi/shocked-1.png


Ouch. ._X;;

Yeah, it's a rue of the internet--put your face out there, and you're at risk.

I've had two incidents that I know of--someone used my photos to make a fake myspace account, and then another -shudder- was a youtube slideshow.

The second one was the worst. It had been a person I had been takling to on a website, and she had taken a TON of my photobucket photos, made a slide show, and -here- is the kicker--replaced my sister's FACE in a photo of me and her, and put her OWN.

@___________________________@;;

What?!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v194/mwedzi/vlcsnap-2010-02-18-10h15m53s68-1.png

[Stagecoach]

The only time I'm aware of people using my picture was in a false advertising for selling hair. That did upset me.

If it was simply a "Her hair is pretty" use... I wish they'd ask but it doesn't bug me a lot that they don't. However it really does upset me when people use it for false advertising, and it would REALLY upset me if it was on a fe.ti.sh site.

[mwedzi]

Mwedzi, I'm so sorry to hear this. This is why I don't post pictures with my face on public websites. I had one poster post a pic of my hair without my permission on a thread over at the LHCF. I was a bit taken aback even though it was positive.

I would also recomend for everyone not to use the same user name on multiple message boards. Try to think of different user names. Type your user name on search engines and see what comes up. It makes it so easy for stalkers to look up your information and track you. Be careful what information you post about yourself too. You'll be surprised who's out there lurking looking you up.

I wish there were more laws or something to better protect our privacy on the internet. Googling myself and seeing information about me pop up is so creepy.

Yeah, the internet is amazing. It's very hard to regulate it. In general, though, I don't mind. I'm not really embarrassed by anything on the internet about me. For some reason, I really can't imagine anyone internet stalking me to do me harm. I know it's possible, but I'll be like teenagers who think themselves invincible until something happens to them.

Actually, if you know my real name, I'm the first google hit for that name. It's normal for people who do what I do.

[Stevy]

Not since about ten years ago, when someone stole some photos from my website and put them up on a site making fun of goths. I was a bit irritated, but I figured their site would probably get pulled sooner or later, and lo and behold it did.

Mwedzi, I'm really sorry your pictures got used for racist propaganda. That's hateful.

[yellowchariot]

I'm fortunate and thankful, that no one has used any of my pics, without my permission. Though I don't think anyone would want to sell a product or advertise anything with a guy(me :D) wearing braids, or example updo's LOL! Most of my albums are set to private especially my photobucket account. My other albums and pics are public, because I don't mind if they are seen by the general public. In fact most of them are tutorials, such as my videos, to help viewers with certain styles.

My ugly mug shot is very recognizable, so I don't think it would be very hard to track one of my pics down, if somebody stole it ;) :guns:

[Starfilly]

Yes, I've definitely run across people using mine. Thus far they've mostly been quite positive, so I've found it flattering more than anything, and I didn't say anything. Most were for long hair or costuming sites, so I don't mind.

I learned today, however, that my hair goggles style ended up on an ebaumsworld forum for weird hair and Poorlydressed.com (http://poorlydressed.com/tag/up-do/) for bizarre updos. Had a good laugh over that. :bow:

[Stevy]

I dunno, yellowchariot, I'd definitely give a product a second look if it was being advertised by a guy with braids or an updo! (I typed that 'brains or an updo' first time, lol)

[Angeletti]

wow that's so disturbing for they way people have used some of your photos, people are crazy. as for my own pictures being used if they have I haven't become aware of it yet, but all of the places are private and only for friends or members that I have them on

[Pixna]

That is horrible, horrible, horrible, Mwedzi. Just disgusting!!! I haven't had any of my photos stolen, that I'm aware of. I've always figured no one would really be interested in them (they aren't all that exciting). But to be used for racially motivated hate??!! That's about as low as someone could go. I don't know if it's illegal or what you can do, but I do want to extend my support and empathy. The internet is the new Wild West, sadly, and some people (esp. those with a few screws loose and a lot of hate inside themselves), think they can do (and get away with) anything they want, even if it's criminal (and IMO, this is). :grouphug:

P.S. As I've told you before, I love, love, love your hair, Mwedzi. You are beautiful, inside and out!!

[florenonite]

Yeah. Someone took my siggy pic and used it as an example of how we're all so weird here for taking pictures of the backs of our heads :rolleyes:

[Hiriel]

Yeah. Someone took my siggy pic and used it as an example of how we're all so weird here for taking pictures of the backs of our heads :rolleyes:

*giggle*
How else would you show your hair in a picture?

None of my pictures have been stolen, that I know of. But I don't think my hair is spectacular enough yet ;)

[yellowchariot]

I dunno, yellowchariot, I'd definitely give a product a second look if it was being advertised by a guy with braids or an updo! (I typed that 'brains or an updo' first time, lol)

LOL, or advertising brains as well! :p J/K!

You do have a good point Stevy! Now that I think about it, women are usually the mainstream product promoters, sellers, and advertisers. If a guy were to be thrown into the mix, it would probably stop the assembly line for a brief minute: :trainwreck: haha :o

[Cinnamon Hair]

Anyone else have similar experiences?

Yes, but nothing as bizarre as yours, fortunately. The only times I have found my pics posted without permission where either to criticize my hair, compliment it, or on a hair f**ish board.

I have seen my pics twice over on the other LHC, once a couple years ago when they devoted a 10 page thread to how awful my thin ends looked, then most recently in a more complimentary thread.

I like finding it if the comments are good, not so much if they are negative, but it is nice to know what people truly think. That gives me insight on how I can improve. The f***sh board posting my pics... well it's not my favorite thing ever, but I try to take it as a compliment.

Regardless of copyright laws, the truth is I have no real control over photos once I post them on the Internet. I am ok with that and take it into consideration before I post anything.

[SHELIAANN1969]

mwedzi, I am so sorry that some jerkoff put your picture in a vile, flithy, disgusting video. :grouphug:

You are absolutely beautiful and so kind spirited, it just makes me sick that someone would even consider putting something like that out there. I am flabberghasted, hopefully you got it taken down?

But no, as far as I know I haven't seen any pictures used without my permission.

[jackiesjottings]

I googled myself yesterday and didn't find any hair photos, but I did find a photo of mine on a web site, one of Glastonbury Abbey. I decided to let it stay because the user had credited me. But It did look as if one of my video clips of a festival I went to had been hotlinked to on flickr so I am going to change that to friends only.

But so far.. no hair pics.

[Drynwhyl]

Not that I know of. I usually don't post pics often (of my hair) other than here, where it's mostly protected from abuse. Even if they did, I don't care much, people see my hair anyway, right? :)

Although generally, some of my friends posted my pics on their facebook even after I asked them not to. I refuse to make an account there and I do not want anyone posting/seeing my pictures.

[Sunsailing]

Yes, on another forum.

There was a guy posting my pictures, claiming it was him.
Then the other members questioned MY honesty, stating they didn't know who the pictures really were (even though I had been posting for years).

The members here are much more honest and intelligent :)

[ilovelonghair]

Not all stolen content is hotlinked, and not all hotlinked content is stolen. Hotlinking means that a website has a link to a picture (or other content) from another website. For example, uploading a picture to a site like photobucket and then posting it on a forum is technically hotlinking.

Hotlinking becomes questionable when somebody links to an image without permission to do so, or links images on a website as their own content without any clear indication of who the image really belongs to. It's not the only way to steal images, as people could just as well save images on their hard disk and upload them somewhere else. :(

If hot linked, it's better to put a link as well to where it came from. Or just a link of the picture.

ETA: I don't think anyone wants to steal my hair pictures, it's not nice enough :p