Unauthorised copying of images on ebay

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tonymckendrick
Posts: 34
Joined: Sun Nov 13, 2005 8:55 pm

Unauthorised copying of images on ebay

Post by tonymckendrick »

There is a seller called 80slondon on ebay who is copying images of postcards and selling reproductions of them quite blatantly. Titles, descriptions and images are being lifted and multiple copies being sold in the form of enlarged photographs, jigsaws, mouse mats, calendars, coasters or place mats. Ebay are currently unable to put a stop to this until they have more proof. We routinely remove our images as soon as auctions are finished but this is already too late. We were alerted by a customer who had paid a large amount of money for an extremely rare image only to find copies being sold to the underbidder and anybody else who wanted one. Please check out this seller if you trade on ebay to ensure that your images are not being hijacked in this way.

DahliaGirl
Posts: 5
Joined: Mon Mar 09, 2009 2:31 am

Re: Unauthorised copying of images on ebay

Post by DahliaGirl »

Hi. Thanks for the alert. I was under the impression that the images of the cards I list on eBay (via Auctiva) were protected in some way (tho I'm not a computer/internet expert). I have been "notified" by eBay/Auctiva to protect images and thought I had done so, but am now going to check this out again.

Like yourself, and probably many other genuine dealers/traders, I get so angry when people grossly abuse/take liberties (being polite here) with our "property" and it is frightening to see that it is so easy for them to do so.

Once again, thanks for bringing this to people's attention.

DahliaGirl

Andrew
Posts: 95
Joined: Tue Dec 12, 2006 4:26 pm
Location: Gillingham, Kent

Re: Unauthorised copying of images on ebay

Post by Andrew »

It is possible (although I'm not sure how) to watermark images. This might be a solution to images being copied.

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kevinramsdale
Posts: 156
Joined: Mon May 22, 2006 7:09 pm
Location: Lincoln

Re: Unauthorised copying of images on ebay

Post by kevinramsdale »

Looking at the copyright threads on here, I'm wondering if this seller is actually doing anything wrong?

If there was any copyright on these images the rights would in fact lie with the original publisher/photographer?

This seller is not trying to pass their wares off as original items, or even as postcards

It's not that much different from publishing a book of postcard based images (and selling it) or cramming a CD with 1,000+ images taken from old postcards (and selling it)

One PTA member has over 40 of these compilation CDs currently on sale on eBay.

8)
Kevin

MichaelDay
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Posts: 179
Joined: Tue Nov 08, 2005 11:31 pm
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Re: Unauthorised copying of images on ebay

Post by MichaelDay »

That's true Kevin.

Some also seem to be concerned about images on Auctiva etc...
the resolution required to produce a reasonable printed copy is far higher than that used for screen presentation.
Anybody grabbing your image from an ebay lot would only be ably to produce a slightly fuzzy postcard sized print at best.

Our own policy attitude to this is that once sold on ebay the card is out of our hands and subsequent buyers can copy or distribute copies of it at will. So we prefer to display a reasonably high quality scan (slightly larger the ebay standard) so that collectors can more easily assess the detail of the postcard and any defects it may have before deciding to bid.

Pebbles64
Posts: 3
Joined: Mon Mar 23, 2009 3:17 pm

Re: Unauthorised copying of images on ebay

Post by Pebbles64 »

I was thinking of compiling lists of Beagles, Lillywhite and Rotary film star postcards, with pictures. Then I was hoping to put them up to somewhere like Flickr so that other collectors can use the info to help with their collections.

Would I be wrong to use e-bay pictures, and pictures from other sites then? And how would I be able to do this without copying pictures from sites such as these? I don't want to raise any money or anything, I just want the fun of finding them all!

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kevinramsdale
Posts: 156
Joined: Mon May 22, 2006 7:09 pm
Location: Lincoln

Re: Unauthorised copying of images on ebay

Post by kevinramsdale »

Pebbles64 wrote:I was thinking of compiling lists of Beagles, Lillywhite and Rotary film star postcards, with pictures. Then I was hoping to put them up to somewhere like Flickr so that other collectors can use the info to help with their collections.

Would I be wrong to use e-bay pictures, and pictures from other sites then? And how would I be able to do this without copying pictures from sites such as these? I don't want to raise any money or anything, I just want the fun of finding them all!
I would just go ahead and do it if I were you. All these cards were produced in some quantity so, unless there is some distinguishing feature to the front, it wouldn't be possible to determine the precise source. Good luck.
Kevin

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