Wierd internet stuff
There’s been some funny business on the internet this week. It started on the weekend, when two people kindly let me know they’d been spammed by “Tina”, who had sent the mail above, apparently having got their details from skinnylaminx.com. Very wierd, and I have no idea what this means. Apologies to anyone else who got this – I’m taking it up with my host and with Blogger.
Then, on Tuesday, someone else kindly let me know about an Australian online store carrying a direct copy (albeit an embroidered one) of my Duikers design. I visited the site and found it to be littered with copies of work by Rob Ryan, Dee Beale, Studio Job, Moooi, Tord Boontje… and probably others that I just didn’t recognise.
The images above are all taken from the site, which I’m not naming yet, as I’m rather getting in touch with the affected designers to let them take action directly.
The good news is that after being threatened with negative publicity on my blog and on Twitter, the store has done the right thing and removed the offending cushion, sadly before I took a screengrab. I’m astonished by the whole situation, and angry at the theft, of course, but must admit to being just a leetle flattered to have been included in such an illustrious group of victims!
So, it’s been a funny one, and seems to illustrate the up and down sides of having work online. On the downside, it’s horribly easy for unscrupulous types to steal and copy, but on the upside, there’s an amazing neighbourhood watch consisting of blog readers, bloggers and tweeters patrolling the web, noticing these things, and then using our networks to shut down the bad guys.Thanks for that – it does make me feel a bit safer.
Ansie
After all the good news and positive feed back of the past week or so, this must come as quite a shock! But it is good to know that the good people stand together and look out for each other.Good luck with tracking down and exposing the baddies!
She Draws
Being copied much bring up strange feelings, you're obviously very desirable enough for people to want to copy you!!!Also I should have contacted you as I also had a message from "tina", very strange.
CrowNology
Weird indeed.A little unnerving too.Ah well, the internet…I'm glad you have people watching your back though. :)Andrea
Jesse
Very odd spam! I'm curious to know how that happened.The copying thing… I'm speechless.
LINDSAY
I received the same spam "tina" message too…but over a month ago. I don't think your readers were specifically targeted, as a different address was mentioned in mine.
Melissa A.
Kind of creepy. I hope they will be able to get to the bottom of this and put those theives out of business.
Christina Lowry
That is terrible. I hope they don't get away with any of it.The same sort of thing happened to "Melly & Me" designers. Here – http://mellyandme.typepad.com/melly_me/2009/07/spot-the-difference.htmlGood luck with this. 🙂
alex sunday
i heard from tina too. sorry, should've let you know. and i'm so embarrassed that an australian company has done this!
Jacqui
I had a Tina email too, I'm just relieved that it was an impersonal spam rather than directly to me because it was rather creepy. I'm sure that kind of thing happens all the time though. And gosh aren't the rip-off merchants busy at the moment, it seems like so many designers on blogs I read have been copied to greater or lesser degrees.
Shirley
i don't know how i feel about all these copy-cats. think about it. even you enjoy using your orka kily (however it's spelled) wrapping paper. and what about knock-off fashion? and knock-off designer furniture? it's really weird because there aren't any copyright rules for copying the image of a product, only the process (i.e. the pattern instructions). and then, of course, surface design (which is your arena), which is also copyrightable. i saw the link to the melly and me post about her product being copied, but, unfortunately for her, the copyright laws would only protect her pattern design, not the finished product. for you, however, my dear, since it was your image that was copied (even with the added embroidery), you have rights to recourse. isn't that strange? so… again, i'm not sure how i feel about all of this copying. on the one hand, it sucks for the small people, the little businesses, the individual designers. on the other hand, they technically didn't break the law in some circumstances (your situation doesn't count as that was totally copyright infringement). after all, you learned a while back that you could no longer tell people not to use your fabric for commercial purposes. remember that? it's all strange. what's protected and what's not. who's to decide and how do we prevent copying? and yes, i also agree it's a form of flattery. i'm definitely feeling weird about it because we see a lot of the same products produced by different artists on etsy and yet that's not considered copying. e.g. the british ww2 posters ("keep calm carry on"), or the nest ring, or other popular jewelry styles as seen replicated on etsy. i apologize if i'm not making sense. it's because i do not quite understand it myself. it seems some things are an issue if copied and yet others are acceptable. i find that difficult too because as an artist, a young artist trying out new things, i often replicate something i like in order to learn how to do something. i am, after all, the self-taught kind.you are definitely an admired artist to have such a fan base willing to help you defeat those who would blatantly copy something that is so obviously yours.
Lisa
Yes, indeed there has been some strange internet activity recently. Just this week, I too was contacted by a woman who said she wanted to buy 2 paintings from me to hang in her new home in South Africa (of all places!). I soon found out it was a total scam. Needless to say I sent no artwork. We all must be cautious…strange world we live in…
Yardwork
I'm not surprised at the copying – still it makes my blood boil. Happens a lot with larger companies (who have lots of mass-producing capabilities) ripping off small, independent designers and artists. We do make it easier for them by having things online, unfortunately – then don't even have to leave the office! Not sure what the solution is except to keep an eye out and call them on it when you can.
nadia khafagi
Hi, I can’t tell you how I hate it when I check my statcounte and find people visiting and downloading ever image (without even leaving a comment) or saying nice work! I can see their ip and their countries but don’t know who they are! I love to share what am doing on my blog cos it gives me energy to do more and motivation … but recently I am kind of giving it a second thought! I almost cried seeing someone copying all my sketches… my dear sketches… I don’t know what they will do with it! I would love if they keep it for inspiration but to use it like they did with you, uhhh really bad What to do? Some bloggers keep their images locked… I don’t know how they do that!