Nearly every day I find numerous instances of my copyrighted photos "pinned" on Pinterest without permission. One photo had been "repinned" 43 times! Even worse, numerous images that have nothing to do with me are erroneously listed under my blog's domain name. And a British company hijacked my photograph found on Pinterest - therefore in their perception, free - for an advertising/promotional campaign.
I installed the "do not pin" code on my website and deleted my 500px and Tumblr accounts because I couldn't stop photo theft. And in a series of conversations, I've asked Pinterest to block all incoming images linked to my domain names and do a better job informing its users of copyright issues. At the top of my blog's sidebar I specifically request that my photos not be copied or "pinned." I've written several blog posts about why I do not want even a single photo on Pinterest, a site for which I receive no benefit whatsoever. Yet still this problem persists. Am I going to have to plaster every photo with "Do not pin" and/or a copyright notice??!!
Not that you'd notice with all the annoying "Do not pin" reminders, but this is a photo of a 19th-century door with a copper Arts & Crafts letterplate in Sevilla, Spain.
Hello Tara,
I am so sorry and yet comforted by your post. I also read your recent one about the woman who pinned deliberately, knowing that you do not allow pinning. My blood is boiling!
Why am I comforted? Because I am wrestling with this very problem. I have a WordPress blog, where I can't insert any code to prevent pinning, and from where despite a prominent copyright notice, a bright yellow 'Don't Pin' notice, an additional copyright reminder on the most commonly pinned posts and even captions attached to some photos saying 'This is a personal photo - I will not give permission under any circumstances for its re-use' people are still pinning. I am at my wits' end. Sometimes I look at the image on my blog, and I see the bright yellow 'Don't Pin' notice immediately to the right of the image, or I see that the person couldn't possibly have pinned it without reading the capion, or I read the emails sent to me by people who are offended by the notice I have served on Pinterest to remove an image they have pinned... and I wonder where it will all end. Some of the sites where I have found my work are distinctly sinister. And like you, I have had the 'just because you took a photograph of it doesn't mean its yours' nonsense.
I actually came across you and your blog because I was trying to find out if Typepad bloggers can insert the code to prevent pinning - because I now think the only answer is either for me to give up blogging, or at the very least to move to somewhere where I can have more control over my work. Do I take it Typepad doesn't give you that?
Incidentally, your blog is lovely, and I will be back to look at it at leisure when I am feeling less stressed!
Posted by: Janice | 28 March 2013 at 13:00
Sorry, darling. I suppose the only thing to say about this, beyond the obvious, is that 99 times out of 100 it is sheer ignorance by the pinner, and not a lack of appreciation; meant, in fact, to show appreciation, but missing hte mark, unfortunately. The Brit campaign though....someone ought to be sued. That is, as the poet said, pure crap.
Posted by: Natalie | 27 March 2013 at 06:46
How frustrating! It does give me pause to stop and think when I am in pinterest. I visit there less and less each day.
Posted by: Marilyn | 27 March 2013 at 03:38
I hate to say it, but I think you are. Oh, Tara, your photos are so amazing -- I don't want to see you feel as though you have to put restrictions on what you can post because you must protect your work. But you are a professional whose work must be protected.
I just don't understand why people don't pay attention. I hope Pinterest abides by your request.
Posted by: jeanie | 27 March 2013 at 03:18
I'd say that the answer to your question is: Yes. People who do what you're trying to stop consider what they're doing to be a victimless crime. I don't know how you will ever get around that mindset, sorry to say. Kind of like people who habitually speed don't think that they're doing anything wrong-- as long as no one gets hurt. Haters gonna hate, takers gonna take.
Posted by: Ally Bean | 26 March 2013 at 13:59
Stressful.
Is there recourse against the British company (stole photo and used for advertising/promotional campaign)?
Otherwise it becomes, "you who are not in class today are in big trouble" said to a class of students who were not absent...
Posted by: Linda | 26 March 2013 at 13:56