Messages

16

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Got 3rd Getty Letter Now I'm Not Sure

« on: September 06, 2012, 02:15:01 PM »

Hi CowgirlCaz - I'm Canadian and rec'd a letter as well, and am working on my 1st response back to GettyImages.  Good to meet another Canadian in the same boat... Will be following your thread here!

17

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Got a letter, now what???

« on: September 06, 2012, 01:56:48 PM »

So I'm finally getting around to writing my letter - I procrastinate too much, part of which is because everytime I come to this site or any of the others out there that are fighting GettyImages my stomach turn and I can feel more hair dropping off my already balding head.  Not the sites but the "fear" and anxiety that these letters seem to trigger...

Anyway it'll be a long while before I'll get over it.

I've read several posts from Canadians on other sites that say "ignore, ignore, ignore" however most here say don't ignore.  I'm confused.

Why would I want to ignore them?  Why should I not ignore them?

I appreciate all the feedback rec'd from everyone!  This is a great site with a lot of superb information.

18

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Received second notice last month and asking for input on my response.

« on: August 22, 2012, 02:47:08 PM »

I would remove the ELI and Oscar mention, that's just an idle threat and of no use. They'll send the check back, and send another letter..they want your money..as long as you are aware that any letter you send them will not make them go away, and you're prepared to go back and forth for 3 years..go ahead and send it..you could also considering adding if they return the check and do not supply proof of ownership, you will file a complaint with the AG..if nothing else it will be a time suck for them.

Robert - question for you, as I'm in Canada will a letter to the AG help?  Will they respond to a Canadian?

19

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Got a letter, now what???

« on: August 22, 2012, 02:44:29 PM »

@Susan - I've been somewhat lax in the last few weeks and haven't really worked on my response, but will take it up again shortly.  I'd gladly share with you what I wrote.  I do plan on sharing it here in any event to get feedback on what I've written. 

Also - welcome.  I'm been in and feel am still in the same boat as you.  Every time I visit this site my stomach knots (not because of the site - but just having to deal with this)... doubt it will go away anytime soon.

But as before me have said, there is a TON of information here - more than enough to put a letter together.

There is also a start of a good letter in another post here (http://www.extortionletterinfo.com/forum/getty-images-letter-forum/received-second-notice-last-month-and-asking-for-input-on-my-response/) that will get the gears moving.

I'm basically at that point in my letter as well - I've researched what is available out there and have even found image sites that will let me use their images for free provided I give them a return link -- so the fee of $1,000 is outrageous (in my case it's $1250).

You may want to call Matthew if you want some reassurance that you CAN do this.

Step 1 is to decide whether you want to fight or pay (advice by everyone is to fight)
Step 2 is to do your research; what is that image really worth?
Step 3 using the information here, write your letter and send it off...

20

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Image scraping: The Newsblur angle.

« on: August 17, 2012, 03:24:41 PM »

Isn't innovation great?  Love the fact that I can use the multitudes of RSS readers out there and track my favourite blogs; unfortunately this makes the job so much easier for trolls - they don't need to spend the money (or at least not a lot of money) on building their own infrastructure - they just use someone elses.

21

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Got a letter, now what???

« on: August 16, 2012, 07:08:23 PM »

@SoylentGreen - great post!  The one thing that the document Mr. Fewer sent mentioned that Masterfile will go after everyone and anyone; however it is good to read that they have not been entirely successful - but I guess with a whole team of attorneys that will bend over anywhich way, might as well keep 'em busy.

Thanks for the link - great information!  Added to my bookmarks...

@Matthew - I would hope that he would get more involved; Canadians definatley need a presence for these types of issues.  Until I found that other site, I hadn't realized how prevalent the issue is up here - and I can imagine that if Canadians simply pay because "it's the right thing to do" and because they may not know of any other alternative they will go after even more people and businesses.

22

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Got a letter, now what???

« on: August 16, 2012, 06:54:16 PM »

Great post meontheweb!  The comments to the article linked to, speak volumes about the size of this problem.  I hope the Canadian courts take care of their citizens, and I hope the American courts take care of Getty - if you know what I mean.

Thanks - unfortunately (IMO) most Canadians would just rather pay, as we are usually "sorry for everything". :-)

23

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Got a letter, now what???

« on: August 16, 2012, 04:17:50 PM »

For those who find this site and are Canadian, I found this rather old post which provides this information:

I have spoken to David Fewer, Counsel at the wonderful CIPPIC clinic at the University of Ottawa, who has agreed to keep track of these demands from Getty Images and to consider CIPPIC’s possible involvement. He can be reached at 613-562-5800 ext. 2558. His e-mail is:

[email protected]

All rights holders are certainly entitled to enforce their legitimate rights in a legitimate way. But they should not be permitted to do so in a manner that is abusive and/or to misuse these rights. This is Canada and such behaviour is likely to prove most unwelcome in Canadian courts, especially after the signal sent by Justice Bastarache.

Hope I'm not breaking any rules by noting the URL of the site:

*** URL DELETED ***

TAGS so Canadians who get the letter, can become more informed

gettyimages letter canada
getty images letter canadian
settlement demand gettyimages canadian

NOTE: I have e-mailed Mr. Fewer and CIPPIC (http://www.cippic.ca) and will post the e-mail and subsequent reply.  For Canadians that find this site, you should really check-out CIPPIC there is A LOT of good information about copyright, privacy, identify theft etc.

UPDATE: DOH!  Should have read the post by Matthew on Mr. Fewer first... will see how it goes with him.

2nd UPDATE: DOH!  Well that was quick, not quite a PFO though.  Essentially what CIPPIC/Mr. Fewer said is what is being said here on this site >> FIGHT IT OUT if you have the stomach for it (exactly what Matthew says) and the steps outlined is what's discussed here (such as accept the fee demand, negotiate a lower fee, offer-up $500.00, state you are an innocent infringer, do nothing and fight it out).  What I did learn (from a document they provided me) is that in Canada as an "innocent infringer" you could pay as little as $200.00.  In Canada copyright complainant is entitled to statutory damages between $500 and $20,000 (!!!) however in most cases courts are unlikely to ward more than $500.00 (HOORAY - so in Canada, high probability that GettyImages would not sue as I'm sure it will cost more then $500.00).

24

Getty Images Letter Forum / NOT going to pay!

« on: August 16, 2012, 03:57:58 PM »

After my chat with Matthew who suggested that the first step is to know what you are being charged for. 

His suggestion was doing research to find similar images on the internet at other stock photo sites to know the true value of those images.  As Matt explained (paraphrased) "all you got was an invoice - it's up to you to decide if you're just going to pay it blindly or find out what you are paying for" and of course "you could get an invoice for anything, will you just pay it?".

So I've been searching stock photo sites like Dreamstime, 123rf and Shutterstock (there are dozens out there) for similar images.

Clearly gettyimages is extorting money! 

The image that I've been accused of can be purchased for as little as $11.06 and so far the most expensive I have found is $19.00.  All these sites allow for the image purchased to be used online for as long as you want.  You pay more if you intend to resell the final product that is developed using their images.

Slowly gaining confidence that I'll be able to tackle these folks.

25

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Got a letter, now what???

« on: August 14, 2012, 06:12:35 PM »

Hi Stinger,

Thanks - will be doing a lot more reading over the next few days.

I also just got off the phone with Matthew (thanks for the call, Matt) and feel a whole lot better.  I'm sure I could have found all the information here (he even said as much) but nice getting the reassurance.

Also should let everyone know that I am in Canada.

I definately plan on fighting this - $1,275.00+ represents a new laptop for my son or a heckuv a lot of other stuff.

I plan on doing more research here and on the web and will fight them and see what happens.  Will definately post my experiences with everyone here, and if there are other Canadians on the forum hopefully it will help them with their fight.

26

Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Got a letter, now what???

« on: August 13, 2012, 09:10:50 AM »

Hi Greg,

Thanks for the note - definitely am reading, but a bit of 'hand holding' through the process will certainly help.  Definatley did not need the stress right now... 

Mo

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Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: Got a letter, now what???

« on: August 12, 2012, 07:37:22 PM »

Hi Rob - thanks for the note!  I really don't want to pay.  Though I am going to read and watch the videos, I've send Matt $50.00 plus the scans of the documents.  I'm sure it will be the best $50.00 I've ever spent.

Thanks,

Mo

28

Getty Images Letter Forum / Got a letter, now what???

« on: August 12, 2012, 07:17:23 PM »

I just rec'd a letter from Getty Images (dated Aug 9, 2012) - only rec'd it today because I checked my mail only today.

So first thing was panic, and did I ever - I think I had palpitations; then of course was sweating buckets (still am); and the constant shaking every time I just look at the letter.  Finally I told my wife, who also panicked but said pay it and lets get it over with - problem is that it's $1,275.00 CDN all from a website that was set-up as a hobby that I thought I might make a few $$ from to pay for hosting/domain name.

Then I hit Google and found this site - a lot of information, and am reading but "they" don't give you much time.

So onto my situation - I downloaded/found several images on the web and put them together as a collage.  Of course nothing is identified as being copyright and had it been known I would not have used the one single image in the header.  Image was that of a dog.  What a mistake, and something I will NEVER do ever, ever again.

First thing was to take the header down, delete all copies off the web server and to be safe shuttered the site so that I can go through all the images to ensure that nothing is copyrighted -- don't know how the hell to do that, so I'll probably just delete all the images to be safe or delete the content and start over.

Next up - how to fight them?  I saw several other posts - but "they" don't give you much time to educate yourself.

I probably will make use of the $50.00 phone call, if only to help calm the nerves and find out what my next step is.

Found ELI from another site (http://www.seotrainingsw.com/2011/09/getty-images-demand-letter/).



Will start reading the blog and viewing the videos to at least become familiar with all the lingo...