I need Advise: Facebook Group might be unwilling to give credit to Photographers

[yarbro.livejournal.com]

For now, I want to keep the group anonymous and give them a slight benefit of a doubt. Please tell me if I do not make sense, while English is my first native language, I did not learn it properly until the age of 8. So, I struggled with it, even to this day.

I am running into an issue lately that a very popular FB page showing digital photographs but without giving the artist's name or credit. I point this issue out to them saying:

"While this is a good page, I feel that owners of the site should credit the original photographers. Even though they admit they are not the photographers themselves- showing off a photograph without the artist's knowing is consider a form of thief can be a copyrighted issue."

They responded quickly saying they are not the owners of the photos and simply sharing. I replied and explained I acknowledged that but they must give credit to the photographers. The Facebook page owners made then made an excuse saying it would be difficult. I told them I can help to find these artist for them.  They had not respond if they accept my assistance or not but continued to upload photos without credit.

So, how should solve this? From I what I read, Facebook is somewhat weird because I cannot report Copyright issues unless I am the original artist of that work (Unless, I read it wrong).

On the one hand- I feel that they are simply appreciation group that means no direct harm to the artist (OR at least not meaning too) and does not have the knowledge on Copyright Laws or how to find and credit the artists.

However, as I watch as they continued to upload photos and ignore my statement and aid- I am growing more suspicious. Especially,  they have a website with similar photographs and still does not give credit to the artists. A friend noticed the post I made and said that I should give the name out on AB to see if any artists who watch this Live-journal recognized their artwork- but, I want to get more evidence by screen shots and what pictures they uploaded. I am thinking to find and contact the original artists and tell them about this issue.

*Edited so it doesn't look like one large paragraph

Comments

[hellebore.livejournal.com]

You're right. You cannot report the images unless you're the copyright holder. Is this a digital artwork as in drawn, or photographs from a camera?

[yarbro.livejournal.com]

Photos, digital and some traditional.

[marus-puppy.livejournal.com]

It sounds like you commented on the issue publicly (reading between the lines on this one) so maybe you can send them private message explaning the legality of sharing pictures without credit and also giving them a way to find the original photographers easily - there's a method where you can use the image to do a Google search, but I don't know all the details. Maybe someone else can help with that.

I believe you're right on Facebook's policy so if they don't respond to your message, maybe you could just screen shot the photos they post, blur out any identifying information and then post them so we could help identify the original artists.

[mazz.livejournal.com]

You can either save the image or copy the image link. If you go to google image search and click the little camera in the search bar it will search for the image you upload or link.

This shows with screenshots.
http://www.wikihow.com/Search-by-Image-on-Google

[yarbro.livejournal.com]

Yes, I gave a public message- because the popularity of the page- I thought to bring others to attention of the issue. I most likely will send them a private message, this weekend, and give them a quick tutorial of finding original artists by Google Images (I do this a lot to see if my pictures are "stolen").

While I really like your idea on Blur out identifying information so the artists can see the photos. There are hundreds (I am thinking close to a thousand) of pictures they uploaded to their FB, website, and Twitter account. I think about five per day. That method would barely skim the surface.

[marus-puppy.livejournal.com]

I figure sometimes people get put on the offensive if you call them out on something in public so part of their response might be just reacting to that. They might be more receptive if you approached them one-on-one as it were through private message. And if they really don't know how to cite their sources correctly because they are uploading so much at a time (holy buckets that's a lot) then maybe giving them the tools would be helpful!

The "show here to get in touch with folks" idea was more as a last resort if they're uncooperative. Hopefully they won't be, but if they are then even showing some of the pictures can get the copyright holders in touch with Facebook authorities about it.

[mazz.livejournal.com]

Yes, you have to be the copyright holder, if the person refuses to link sources (I showed the easiest way to find it with screen shots to the poster above me) the best you can do is find the original photo creators and see if they're willing to do anything about it.

[luxshine.livejournal.com]

Ugh. the facebook sharing community in general is awful at giving credit. It's like tumblr in a way. Just "Hey, look, I found something pretty", and that's it. Hopefully the site will listen to you.

[neurotichyena.livejournal.com]

I have experience with this page I believe. I commissioned a picture from Falvie for the way that I proposed marriage to my mate, and someone grabbed it either from my page after I reposted it onto the facebook page and I started getting follow after follow and I was so confused as to why. So I finally asked, and someone answered me. I saw all the comments on how good it was, and someone claimed that it was my art. Then people started commenting that I am not the artist, and I was so fearful that people would accuse me of stealing the art as my own that I commented on it saying that it was indeed Falvie's art and in no way, other than the characters, was the art mine.

While it's cool they want to share furry art and photographs of awesome art, I wish they would do it properly. :(

[yarbro.livejournal.com]

Hmm, I would suggest maybe in the "description" give more information about it. It might help you from being calling a thief when you are not.

Sorry, I did not notice your comment until now.