I was browsing ebay for tents in my local area last night, and came across the same tent that I own, made me smile as there don't seem to be many about. Then I looked closer and thought, ha, that was obviously brought at the same place I brought mine, then on closer inspection I realised that it was MY tent, My photo! taken from my tent review on this very site. My user name was still printed across the photo!!
I emailed the seller, and said "great tent, I have one too, in fact that is MY tent, and MY photo" explained it was taken from here.
I had a reply this morning saying "Lol. Sorry I couldn't be bothered to set up for photo so googled it. Hope you don't mind"
It happens frequently, seems odd the way some folk get so steamed up about others using 'their' pics. If its on the net its there. The main complaint of this practice imo is that its dishonest as the seller is misleading potential buyers.
Technically it's actually ILLEGAL to use images off the net without permission. Putting it up on the net doesn't actually give anyone automatic permission to use a photo, they have to go to the owner for permission first.
The copyright stays with the owner of the picture and doesn't go any further without explicit permission to re-use the image.
While I don't like it the 'watermark' that this site puts on the images is there for that very reason, to protect the copyright of anyone using this website to host images.
If anybody is that worried there is a process to prevent pictures on websites being used. If you try to take pictures off some newspaper websites for example you will find it can't be done. Right click on pic & there is no url. If you google a bit you can find out how to do this.
Mike, that would put people off lifting photos! I don't think people will be bothered to screen print, crop etc if they can't take a picture when their tent is up. Personally, I would report it to Ebay because I would be annoyed if they hadn't asked for permission. I guess that stealing photos for Powerpoint etc is such a common thing that it's a bit like copying music - blind eyes are turned to it.
Quote: Originally posted by Safeway56 on 22/4/2013
I've *stolen* thousands of photos from t'intertweb compiling pub quizzes for the last 12 years....Not been locked up yet.
Russian roulette.... one day you might be...
I don't have a problem with people using my images as they are available on public forums. The issue I do have, if an image is used and no reference is made that the images are not of the actual tent. An eBay sale is probably higher if images are used and the item being sold may not be in as good condition.
Yep, fair do's, I've right clicked/saved a few myself, once or twice, often for here! But I wouldn't do it to help me sell something. That's just wrong, IMHO.
------------- Mike
My advice is worth no more than the price paid for it
Quote: Originally posted by Safeway56 on 22/4/2013
I've *stolen* thousands of photos from t'intertweb compiling pub quizzes for the last 12 years....Not been locked up yet.
To be fair if your using it for something like that, unless you happen to have a copper on a bad day in your quiz you'd get away with it.
The major complaint is, of course, commercial but serious photographers don't like to see their work used without their permission ever - because as soon as people start spreading it around it's easy to loose control of their images.
Stuff like images on ebay (as per the OP), used on merchandising, posters etc., images on forums without link backs to source etc. are all likely to annoy photographers if found.
It's happened to me five times, each time with our Cabanon Elody I have sent 'a question to the seller' asking why they are selling my tent!
The first time it happened I did report it to ebay and gave them a link to the 'photo in my gallery, but they replied stating that they couldn't access the photo. I think the problem was that you have to be a member of ukcampsite to be able to see members gallery photo's, so ebay were just getting a blank square with a small x in the corner.
I don't mind anyone using my photo's providing they state in their listing that "the tent in the photo is not the actual tent for sale". My tent is in excellent condition & I wouldn't like to think of someone buying a tent which looks good in the photo & then finding that they've bought a tatty tent with mildew when they get home
JK98 I'm of the same opinion as I don't mind people using the images. I saw a listing on Ebay with my tent images used, contacted the seller and asked them to state that it was not the actual images of the tent. They did revise the listing but just stated that some items shown were not included in the sale! Contacted Ebay who removed the listing (bit over the top), the item was relisted a few days later with stock images...
Someone I know once saw a car he used to own for sale on Ebay. The seller was directly linking to my friend's own photos that were still on his own site, and hadn't asked for his permission to use them.
Taking offence to this, said friend replaced the photos on his site (keeping same name / URL so the links still worked) with ones showing the accident damage the car once suffered while in his ownership, and it being ragged to death round a circuit on a trackday...and it was a few days before the seller noticed too!
Brilliant. Serves the lazy sod right. Slightly worrying though about the risks of being hacked on our hosting sites, eg Photobucket. Could be very embarrassing here if pics were changed but the links retained
------------- Mike
My advice is worth no more than the price paid for it
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Topic: Ebay photo usage (
Topic Closed)
I have sent 'a question to the seller' asking why they are selling my tent! 
