Link Theft--changing Our Faa Links To Theirs!

I care Annie but am too scared to even go to these sites....Last time that I did, got a virus on my computer that took a whole day to get rid of. I am just as frustrated but at a loss for a solution.

I agree, but how does one stop the practice?

This is what we need to do John--is find a way to stop this practice---some kind of link lock or something of such nature.

what are we talking about? on what site is this happening? if it's happening here, you have malware. if it's happening on other sites, you have to complain there.


---Mike Savad

Annie just yesterday I found my paintings linked and I totally agree with you

Alert the FBI. Seriously. It's their job to investigate copyright violations, and the owners of these bogus sites are probably involved in more illegality than just copyright violations. If the site is hosted out of the country, they will contact Interpol.

Mike they pull the images off of google and pinterest, this is why I stopped using pinterest. Faa puts big images in google search and these are the images I find that these link changer use AND google will do nothing.

The people who are link changers are mostly out of country and they are not stealing the images, if they were we could do something. They are removing our links to our websites and putting their links on our images, so they are using our art work to draw traffic to their inferior and repulsive sites. I really don't think the FBI would care because google doesn't and to be honest I doubt FAA cares either, OR someone would do something about this. Do a search your images on google you will find some of your images being used by link changing without your consent or knowledge.

I care too. We are so desensitised to this, and helpless, because it is tolerated.

Who/what would be the authority to contact? It's against the law, but, what recourse does one have. If the thieves get shut down, they start again another day, sigh.

Does google have a nice,neat,simple recourse for us? Same problem....report, and they're back hacking the next day.

It is cyberspace, human nature, infringement at it's worst....the cost of cybercrime runs deep....if you post things, you are a target....

You should notify FAA since it is their claims that the FAA is a safe and secure site to showcase artwork without copy write infringement. It's their responsibility to monitor and to stop this type of activity from their site. I'm pretty disappointed to hear of this situation.

How can FAA stop this sort of thing when just a right click or screen grab will capture an image? I also don't believe that FAA is sharing high-res images with anyone, including Google.

you don't have to be on pinterest for people to change links. this is one of the things i complained about when people were touting how great that place is. the fact you can change a links address after it's pinner, shouldn't be done. in any case, dmca them.

---Mike Savad

How do you think fish feel when they chomp down on a fat fly for their breakfast only to discover it's a bundle of feathers with a hook in it?

Deception, misdirection, camouflage -- all of those things are part of our beautiful Circle of Life on planet Earth.

Too many artists think they have control over where their work is ultimately seen and how it's used; even how people perceive it. That's an illusion. Once you put it out there it's irretrievably part of the vast ecosystem of imagery and ideas.

Take heart in knowing that when someone wants the original or a large fine art print, they will come to you.


Dan Turner
Dan Turner's Seven Keys to Selling Art Online

how would they go to her? when they hijacked her image - it goes to their site, not hers.

---Mike Savad

"...so they are using our art work to draw traffic to their inferior and repulsive sites. I really don't think the FBI would care..."

I think the operative phrase in the quote above is this:

"...so they are using our art work..."

If they are using it without your permission, it constitutes a copyright violation. Furthermore, as I noted above, if these thieves (and that's what they are) are stealing your work to promote a porn site and uploading viruses, then they are probably hackers looking to steal more than just artwork. That alone gives the FBI reason to care. And if these thieves are stealing your work to promote a porn site, how do we know they aren't the kind of people also involved in child pornography and human trafficking?

I'm sure the FBI would care if enough people contacted them with these concerns, as I have outlined them here.

~~~ "when someone wants the original or a large fine art print" ~~~

Google image search or reverse image search. The very thing that enables people to find your images for infringement also enables people to find your images for legitimate purchases. Ironic, yes?


Dan Turner
Dan Turner's Seven Keys to Selling Art Online

Phil, have you had occasion to contact the FBI about this? Any results?

Too late to close the barn door now...........

that's not a 100% true, if everyone takes that image and uses it for porn, it's now associated with porn. and depending how many place that image is at, it creates an almost impossible search even with reverse. you do a search for it, and get 500 returns because everyone took it. you really think anyone will find the image here? no. they'll find other images. your thinking this is some how free advertising to you, but it's not.

it works against you.

its doubtful the FBI will care if someone took your image. they will care if you have proof of the hacking and such. and it would have to threaten the govt.
the FBI would be contacted if you saw your neighbor building a missle in the garage. stuff like that they care about.

---Mike Savad

The FBI is interested in warehouses full of pirated DVDs or shipping containers filled with counterfeit goods. They are not the least bit interested in chasing down foreign websites for alleged infringement of low-rez images.

Certainly, if there is convincing evidence of larger federal crimes endangering life or compromising banking systems, yes, they will get involved.


Dan Turner
Dan Turner's Seven Keys to Selling Art Online

The original poster asked what could be done. I offered a solution. It is the FBI's job to protect intellectual property rights, regardless of the level of violation. I have not contacted the FBI because I have not seen my work used in this manner. But if I did, I most certainly would file a complaint with them.

Small fish are used to catch bigger ones. And when it comes to issues like porn, child porn and human trafficking, there are no small fish. But the way to get federal and international LE involved and investigating is to file a complaint.

Just my $.02.

P.S. I have filed complaints with agencies like the SSA and FTC in the past, and these complaints can be filed online and - if needed - anonymously (although that wouldn't be much use in an issue like this). If people feel this strongly about IP theft, they should at least look into options along these lines. I don't promise results, I'm merely pointing people in a direction. Take the advice for what you paid for it. ;)

how would they go to her? when they hijacked her image - it goes to their site, not hers.

Thanks Mike---this is the point, if someone DOES NOT know about search for image to find other links to my artwork then all they have is the link that has been changed with my website removed, so I will lose the sale not to mention if they follow this link and get a virus or they are lead to porn, my reputation is now ruined too. This has to stop! I have to say everyone on FAA has had their links changed and their artwork used to draw traffic without your permission. Google your name and pick some images and do a search by image---you will find a link changer or two.

"This has to stop!"

These discussions always feel like I'm watching someone wrestle with the five stages of grieving:

1. Denial
2. Anger
3. Bargaining
4. Depression
5. Acceptance

Acceptance entails making peace with what is, letting go and slowly moving forward with your life. Sometimes it feels like this phase will never come, which usually means you’re still struggling in an earlier phase.

The World Wide Web is 25 years old. Infringement has been an issue since (about) week two. In order to stop infringement on the web, the web will need to be shut down. Instead, we have a series of compromises that are not strong enough for artists who wish to control every aspect of their work, but which are acceptable to the vast majority of surfers.


Dan Turner
Dan Turner's Seven Keys to Selling Art Online

you don't have to accept it, you can fight it. but it's a hard chase and never worth your time. if you see it, tell the site that they took your image. they don't have to get away with it. but if you choose to chase them down, it will become a full time job. i only attack when people modify my work and or, put their name on it, or claim ownership.. or sell it.


---Mike Savad

Dan I did not write this post to be analyze by you. It is people like you that have to put down others view points that create the mindset of the link thefts. This is not needed nor does it create a situation to the issue at hand. So please keep your options that are off subject to yourself. I don't believe in a laid back attitude because it's the laid back attitude that has created and let this situation get this far our of hand. I am attached to my artwork and don't want it used without my permission in nasty and vulgar ways. Excuse me for thinking that maybe artist who care about how their work is being treated might come together and form a solution to this problem. As I stated when I started this post-----I know people would say it's the internet and nothing can be done about it---thanks for proving MY point on the laid back attitude that has let this situation get out of hand. I believe when it comes to the internet that the DMCA notices should be change to include link theft, not just image theft.

Annie,

I understand your frustrations - perhaps this website can assist you?

http://www.dmca.com/

This is one reason why I don't directly promote my work on FAA anymore. I promote my personal site instead where I have the power to block the undesirable bots and content scrapers, hackers,scammers and spammers. I have smaller images on my personal site and I link them to my AW site. The smaller images on my personal site also have my web address on them so if they do get taken and used in a blog, there's a chance people can trace them back to me instead of FAA (assuming they don't clone out my web address). Its not foolproof but by not promoting my FAA stuff directly, it does seem to reduce the amount of unwanted "visitors" - especially on newer work.

May I be free from useless bots.

Thanks Jeffrey I wrote them now lets see what happens.

Annie,

Can you give an example of the link theft? I have no idea what you are talking about.

I guess I don't really understand the level of outrage. This has been going on since the dawn of the internet. Take one of these sites down, 10 more pop up in their place. How do you combat that? The FBI certainly isn't going to. They have bigger fish to fry.

Yes, please... can someone actually give us a 'real' example of this happening.

I'm not really sure I understand what 'link theft' is?

Did they copied your .jpg and put it on their site, in which case you can file a DMCAagainst them and ask them to remove it.

Is it that they are 'hot linking' the image direct from FAA or your own site?

If so, can you show use where that is happening. If its you're own site, then you can easily stop that, if its direct to FAA, then thats a bit different...

Thanks, just trying to understand what you are talking about.

Rob.

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Here Thomas this is a digital photo of my work being used to link people to a porn site.

Here is the image on faa

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/mighty-osprey-annie-zeno.html

I laugh myself silly when I see people suddenly wake up and act like they discovered something. What do you think the SOPA act was all about ? Where were you when this and other bills didn't pass?

"The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) was a United States bill introduced by U.S. Representative Lamar S. Smith (R-TX) to expand the ability of U.S. law enforcement to combat online copyright infringement and online trafficking in counterfeit goods. Provisions included the requesting of court orders to bar advertising networks and payment facilities from conducting business with infringing websites, and search engines from linking to the websites, and court orders requiring Internet service providers to block access to the websites. The proposed law would have expanded existing criminal laws to include unauthorized streaming of copyrighted content, imposing a maximum penalty of five years in prison"

The images are grabbed off Google. Not FAA, not Pinterest. Everything on the new is vulnerable. It is probably automated and has a good chunk of all the images on every site. It is not from the bots. At least not the ones that can be detected here.

The thing about these sites is every time you are duped into going there because you did a reverse search on your image, they win. They win big when people post links to their sites and post them on with warnings. Don't go there, don't post. If you can find a way to stop this go ahead let me know how you make out. Maybe after that you can figure away to stop pick pocketing in third world cities.

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Same site using a abstract landscape of mine to lead to the porn site.-----see why I have issues!


FAA image of mine they have changed to link so much this work doesn't even lead back to me at all anymore

http://fineartamerica.com/featured/mystical-realm-abstract-contemporary-modern-art-annie-zeno.html









































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I guess I should not have started this post---I can see that the ---it's the internet and nothing can be done about it attitude is still around strong. I don't want my work leading to porn sites, I don't believe in them at all. It's a shame there is NOT a law to stop this. What is the use of having copy write laws when you can't enforce them and pigs can use your work anyway they want

"I laugh myself silly when I see people suddenly wake up and act like they discovered something. What do you think the SOPA act was all about ? Where were you when this and other bills didn't pass?"

Bradford,

Excuse my ignorance, but not everyone on the entire planet is educated in these types of activities. Annie, obviously did not realise it was happening until she discovered it. She is here to educate herself, learn, and understand who/what/why/where/when this is happening. If you cannot understand that, well, I cannot explain it to you any better.

Annie,

You have every right to ask about it.

Seriously [some] people, this is the way we help a fellow artist?