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Getty Images Letter Forum / Re: An Experiment Against Getty
« on: February 01, 2013, 02:38:22 PM »
Glad to have found this site. We just got our Getty letter for $900.00. I felt like a complete idiot since I was a lawyer and thought I was so careful. All our images are our own or ones I purchased royalty free. Unfortunately someone who was to start a program with us gave me a flyer with images. I put them on our website. I didn't even think to ask where the images came from thinking she had the right to use them - which she probably does but I can't locate her. Of course, the program never started so we gained no revenue from the images.
Knowing it was strict liability, I just assumed we were completely doomed. Luckily after seeing this forum I realized that while Getty's position is legal, it's really unethical. It's a heavy burden for a small business owner to know that they must ensure every image they use is legitimate. I knew. I'm careful and I messed up so the average business owner is unlikely to know. I get that artists should be compensated but in this day and age where kids take great photos with their phones, asking enormous amounts of money is insane. If I remember correctly from my econ class, a dying industry, which would be managed photos, milks as much as they can before the industry completely dies.
I'll be doing research on how the California Federal Courts hold in this area. I'll post anything interesting. Meanwhile what does someone think about contacting the Chamber of Commerce en masse? The Chamber of Commerce on a national level seems to have some sway.
Knowing it was strict liability, I just assumed we were completely doomed. Luckily after seeing this forum I realized that while Getty's position is legal, it's really unethical. It's a heavy burden for a small business owner to know that they must ensure every image they use is legitimate. I knew. I'm careful and I messed up so the average business owner is unlikely to know. I get that artists should be compensated but in this day and age where kids take great photos with their phones, asking enormous amounts of money is insane. If I remember correctly from my econ class, a dying industry, which would be managed photos, milks as much as they can before the industry completely dies.
I'll be doing research on how the California Federal Courts hold in this area. I'll post anything interesting. Meanwhile what does someone think about contacting the Chamber of Commerce en masse? The Chamber of Commerce on a national level seems to have some sway.