Pic ripper!
My cousin recently discovered a pic of me and some family members, dressed in our Peranakan best, on a stranger’s website. The photo was taken off an old blog entry of mine.
(No no no, we still had our clothes on, and I didn’t get my face Photoshopped onto some Playboy bunny’s body.)
While I was glad that someone’s created a website on Peranakan culture, I was quite shocked that one of my personal photos was used without my knowledge and permission. I was even more unhappy because my aunts, sister and grandmother were also in the photo.
I think if this person had the decency to have asked me first, I wouldn’t have minded so much. I do have a Creative Commons Licence, you know, and it isn’t too restrictive. You just have to ask!!!
I have half a mind to write in and firmly remind this chap to have some Netiquette. I appreciate my photo being used to promote my heritage, and it doesn’t look like a commercial site. But … ugh. I feel cheapened! (This is the page in question.) I wonder if other photos on that website were also taken from other people’s personal collections.
Some common sense guidelines to follow:
- If you saw something you like on someone’s website, and there is a copyright notice, follow it.
- If there isn’t an obvious notice, it is better to ask anyway. You might have missed the fine print.
Simple enough??
Write in. Just let him know stealing pics isn’t nice, and that he should ask permission or at least credit.
Oh Vanessa… the person simply purloined that photo in an effort to propogate your beauty throughout the world. That is all. 😉
Have you tried right-clicking the picture at the said site? *laugh* Seems like they’re trying to stop ppl copying it. Ironic isn’t it.