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Getty Images Letter Forum / information to send or not to send
« on: January 28, 2013, 05:35:51 PM »
First, thank you for this site. It is very informative and kept us from making mistakes.
Several years ago we did graphics work for a friends business. In the course of that work, the web designer (freelance, fly by night business) sent us an archive of all of the graphics he did for the website. My friend's business does not thrive, closes up.
A couple of months ago I did a website for that friend (new business) and in seeking relevant pics to decorate with, used a couple of the pics sent by the previous web designer assuming they were all legit and purchased, as I would have done. Plus they had no watermarks so they had to be purchased, right? (sic)
Last week my friend got the letter from getty wanting a ridiculous sum in excess of $2,000 for those images.
After reading this forum and consulting a lawyer friend I would be inclined to ignore these roaches, but I feel responsible for using these pics in the first place. I would like to spare my friend going through the threat letters and NCS, etc... if possible.
So I'm considering writing and just stating they were purchased by a web designer to use on a website and tell them they are in error, question their right to charge for them in the first place, and perhaps offer $8 for what I'd pay for similar photos from bigstock.com.
I'm debating even giving them the name of the designer (who said he had an account with a company getty bought back then.) Reason being, I don't know how he got them. *He* doesn't even remember. I don't think I'm really concerned about arguing innocence since as far as I'm aware the onus is on them to prove guilt, isn't it? What other industry chases you down 5 years later demanding a receipt?
It would be difficult to scrape up enough for Oscar's program, but does anyone know if that might be successful in my particular case, at least to cease the harassment?
I've been reading this site for hours (and have more to go) but any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Several years ago we did graphics work for a friends business. In the course of that work, the web designer (freelance, fly by night business) sent us an archive of all of the graphics he did for the website. My friend's business does not thrive, closes up.
A couple of months ago I did a website for that friend (new business) and in seeking relevant pics to decorate with, used a couple of the pics sent by the previous web designer assuming they were all legit and purchased, as I would have done. Plus they had no watermarks so they had to be purchased, right? (sic)
Last week my friend got the letter from getty wanting a ridiculous sum in excess of $2,000 for those images.
After reading this forum and consulting a lawyer friend I would be inclined to ignore these roaches, but I feel responsible for using these pics in the first place. I would like to spare my friend going through the threat letters and NCS, etc... if possible.
So I'm considering writing and just stating they were purchased by a web designer to use on a website and tell them they are in error, question their right to charge for them in the first place, and perhaps offer $8 for what I'd pay for similar photos from bigstock.com.
I'm debating even giving them the name of the designer (who said he had an account with a company getty bought back then.) Reason being, I don't know how he got them. *He* doesn't even remember. I don't think I'm really concerned about arguing innocence since as far as I'm aware the onus is on them to prove guilt, isn't it? What other industry chases you down 5 years later demanding a receipt?
It would be difficult to scrape up enough for Oscar's program, but does anyone know if that might be successful in my particular case, at least to cease the harassment?
I've been reading this site for hours (and have more to go) but any advice would be greatly appreciated.