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Getty Images Letter Forum / Received a letter... No longer own the site
« on: March 12, 2013, 09:17:10 AM »
Yesterday, we received "the letter" from Getty Images dated March 5, 2013. It references one of their images on a site that we owned and operated up until the beginning of February of this year. However, we sold the domain, site, and all ip/content at the beginning of February. Considering the date of the letter, we assume that we received the letter because the WhoIs information was not updated until late February.
The problem that we have is that the new owner has taken down the website. We have no way of confirming that the image was used on the website, and if it was used during our time of ownership. Archives of the site do not contain the image in question. If the site did contain the image, it was provided by a third party. We understand that does not release someone of liability. However, with no way to prove that the image was used (other than the low quality screen capture in the letter), we are not comfortable in dealing with this situation. In addition to that, the domain, website, and all content were sold to a new owner. Unfortunately for the new owner, we feel that this matter is no longer our concern.
We had considered drafting a letter to Getty Images explaining that as of February, we no longer are affiliated with the site and to please update their records with the current WhoIs information. There was a delay of 20 days between the sale of the site and the update of the WhoIs information. We do have proof of the transaction (with date) when the site was sold.
Do you have any advice on this situation?
The problem that we have is that the new owner has taken down the website. We have no way of confirming that the image was used on the website, and if it was used during our time of ownership. Archives of the site do not contain the image in question. If the site did contain the image, it was provided by a third party. We understand that does not release someone of liability. However, with no way to prove that the image was used (other than the low quality screen capture in the letter), we are not comfortable in dealing with this situation. In addition to that, the domain, website, and all content were sold to a new owner. Unfortunately for the new owner, we feel that this matter is no longer our concern.
We had considered drafting a letter to Getty Images explaining that as of February, we no longer are affiliated with the site and to please update their records with the current WhoIs information. There was a delay of 20 days between the sale of the site and the update of the WhoIs information. We do have proof of the transaction (with date) when the site was sold.
Do you have any advice on this situation?