BigRedX Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 Last year a I sold a bass on eBay. Today I notice that the person who bought it is now moving it on. I have no problem with that. However he is using the rather nice photographs that I took of the bass in order to help him sell it rather than take some of his own. Is there anything I can do about this? Is it even worth getting in touch with eBay? Will they do anything about it? Quote
Paul S Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 Technically they should but I reckon it is unlikely. Pictures are your copyright, your intellectual property. A couple of years back I saw a plant listed for sale and the picture was one of mine, taken of the same type of plant growing in my garden. I contacted him asking him to pay me for use of the picture or use his own pictures, he said 'prove it'. I contacted eBay, they didn't trouble me with a response. Quote
discreet Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 Report it. If you hear nothing from eBay, find something more serious to report it for, and get it pulled. ...I should be in the cabinet really, there's no doubt about it. Quote
franzbassist Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 Images and text policy [url="http://pages.ebay.com/help/policies/image-text.html"]here[/url] Quote
discreet Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 Hmm, it's pretty clear that using other eBay members' pictures is not allowed. Whether eBay will do anything about it is another matter. Worth trying. Quote
BigRedX Posted January 17, 2013 Author Posted January 17, 2013 Reported. Lets see what happens... Quote
Hobbayne Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 I Personally wouldn't worry about it. Theres much more important things going on in the world. Quote
gjones Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 [quote name='Hobbayne' timestamp='1358437283' post='1939143'] I Personally wouldn't worry about it. Theres much more important things going on in the world. [/quote] +1 Quote
BigRedX Posted January 17, 2013 Author Posted January 17, 2013 (edited) I'm sure there are. But... 1. I went to a lot of time trouble to make the bass look attractive and take good photos of it to help the sale. The new seller has spent 5 minutes copying them out of my ad. 2. While the bass looked like it did in the photos at the time I sold it, there's no guarantee that it still looks like that now. New photos would show the current state of the instrument. I'm sure no-one on here would be prepared to bid if they were told that the photos they were looking at were several months old and who knows what had happened to the bass in the mean time? Edited January 17, 2013 by BigRedX Quote
Protium Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 [quote name='Hobbayne' timestamp='1358437283' post='1939143'] I Personally wouldn't worry about it. Theres much more important things going on in the world. [/quote] +1 Quote
BigRedX Posted January 17, 2013 Author Posted January 17, 2013 So you'd all be happy to buy a bass when the photos advertising it are several months and one owner out of date? Quote
evilLordJuju Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 It's happened to me before - the seller used my pics, but did state that they were taken 6 months earlier by the previous seller. That didn't bother me in the slightest, but yes the new seller should really state the facts for any potential buyer to be aware of. Quote
Protium Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1358441663' post='1939277'] So you'd all be happy to buy a bass when the photos advertising it are several months and one owner out of date? [/quote] If they accurately represent the bass, yes Quote
ash Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 (edited) ....interesting argument however if you do an image search for something on Google you will often come across pictures of items you may have bought and sold on eBay or other sites. I have seen quite a few vintage synths that belong or have belonged to me, appearing in these image searches and often reappearing in listings. I'd only be worried if they were selling something I still owned and 1) weren't acknowledging it as an example of a piece of kit ie 'looks something like this' or 2) it was clearly fraudulent and they were just trying to make a quick buck from an old listing - I have reported this kind of activity in the past. If I'd sold it them I wouldn't be too worried if they'd used my pics but its good practice to acknowledge that in the listing. You often see this on here 'apologies to ...... for using their pics, hope that's ok' etc. a nod to the original 'author' of the pics is a welcome courtesy. Edited January 17, 2013 by ash Quote
BigRedX Posted January 17, 2013 Author Posted January 17, 2013 If I been asked, I'd have most likely said yes provided that the new seller, gave me a credit and could guarantee that the bass was still in the same condition as when I photographed it. However since he couldn't be bothered, I'm not so happy. Quote
discreet Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 (edited) You're right to be pissed off about it. Why shouldn't the lazy bastard take his own pictures? And if it comes to that, what are you lot doing wasting your lives on a bloody [i]bass guitar[/i] forum for Christ's sake..? You should be over in Mali, fighting Islamist Tuareg rebels!! Shame! Edited January 17, 2013 by discreet Quote
Bilbo Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 I read this whole thread. I need to get out more. Quote
Mr. Foxen Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 I've had auctions puled for using my pictures before. I've bought an amp that had a photo of one of mine too, and got £50 refunded for not being what I bought. Quote
KingBollock Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 [quote name='discreet' timestamp='1358448798' post='1939471'] You're right to be pissed off about it. Why shouldn't the lazy bastard take his own pictures? And if it comes to that, what are you lot doing wasting your lives on a bloody [i]bass guitar[/i] forum for Christ's sake..? You should be over in Mali, fighting Islamist Tuareg rebels!! Shame! [/quote] Indeed. Quote
Monckyman Posted January 17, 2013 Posted January 17, 2013 It's fraud. Almost. It isn't an accurate and up to date portrayal of the item. I've just been trying to find a small lighting truss and came across an eBay ad stating "Picture featured is NOT the item for sale, the stands are different and the truss is smaller." Naturally, I didn't bid. Put it this way, would anyone buy a car who's only picture was taken last year? Of course, we don't know if the pics are new or not, unless we took them.... .. Quote
Mykesbass Posted January 18, 2013 Posted January 18, 2013 [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1358441337' post='1939262'] I'm sure there are. But... 1. I went to a lot of time trouble to make the bass look attractive and take good photos of it to help the sale. The new seller has spent 5 minutes copying them out of my ad. 2. While the bass looked like it did in the photos at the time I sold it, there's no guarantee that it still looks like that now. New photos would show the current state of the instrument. I'm sure no-one on here would be prepared to bid if they were told that the photos they were looking at were several months old and who knows what had happened to the bass in the mean time? [/quote] Very much with you on this one BRX - yes, "worse things happen at sea" is the old adage, but yes, having your copyright infringed is something I would want to put right, especially as it does seem EBay's t&c's are on your side. Quote
neepheid Posted January 18, 2013 Posted January 18, 2013 Sorry? Another lazy oaf takes the easy way with no pride in how they stagger through life and people are like "get over it", and "there are more important things to worry about than this" - sorry, but is the continued erosion of morals, manners, respect and consideration towards one's fellow human beings not a highly important issue? Things like this keep getting let go, but it's just contributing to a decline into savagery. Not worth fightning for? I'd say a just, civilised and morally upright society IS worth fighting for, and ripping off someone's intellectual property without so much as a "mind if I use your pics, chief?" is just another microscopic step in the wrong direction. It's not just a first world problem, it's a whole world problem. Completely 100% behind the OP. I don't mind people using my stuff, but I do mind if they just take it. Quote
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