I have always strongly suspected that companies like Getty are purposefully sloppy with their IP protection because infringement demand letters can be so lucrative. Just a strong suspicion on my part and Ive seen no direct evidence of this.
However, there seem to be some companies (not Getty that I know of) that may be taking it to a whole new level:
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20090826/0033215996.shtml
http://cabalamat.wordpress.com/2008/11/20/davenport-lyons-digiprotect-and-evil-angel-criminal-scammers/
Is the contract language in the above links a smoldering gun (or even a smoking gun) that this is indeed happening? Is this sort of behaviour legal in the US?
Someone needs to put a stop to this. I hope they pick on someone with the resources to do it.
However, there seem to be some companies (not Getty that I know of) that may be taking it to a whole new level:
http://www.techdirt.com/articles/20090826/0033215996.shtml
http://cabalamat.wordpress.com/2008/11/20/davenport-lyons-digiprotect-and-evil-angel-criminal-scammers/
Is the contract language in the above links a smoldering gun (or even a smoking gun) that this is indeed happening? Is this sort of behaviour legal in the US?
Someone needs to put a stop to this. I hope they pick on someone with the resources to do it.