Content violation?

[whimsywhim]

I received an email from the content team stating one of my products had a violation.  They said it was an image within the product.  The image is of a gold cross.

The cross .png is in the public domain.  The gold is what I did with my editing / imaging program.   Now, the product is gone.  It's impossible for this cross to violate anything.  It's a shape of a cross with my own gold color / "design" in it.  

Moderators, *please* ask Zazzle to seriously consider freezing the product / making it private until the disputed image is resolved.  This is a case in point of a product being deleted with an image that cannot violate anything.  

[Cat]

Your best bet is to reply to the email. The violation likely has nothing to do with the cross - could be something like a trademarked phrase was used in the keywords.

[whimsywhim]

Yes, I did email and will send another one with more detail.  The email was clear, and they even provided the image that they claimed violated copyright.  It was the cross.  I'm at a loss as to how.  I remember very well working on that cross.  I almost chucked the whole thing because I couldn't get the gold color right nor could I get the shafts of light right.  It was very frustrating.  

[Cat]

How bizarre. I have heard from other designers that even when the email states that it was a certain image that caused the violation it's often something else. I don't know what that means. Maybe the email is sent from an automated system or something? Well anyway, fingers crossed that you get it sorted out!

[whimsywhim]

Thank you.  I hope so, too!

[SimplyDesigned]

I know getting products removed really stinks but, there is no way for zazzle to "freeze" "pause sales" or "hide" the design in question. Somebody told zazzle that your design violates something, after zazzle receives a take down notice, every second it's still available for sale opens the company up to be sued for non compliance.

Also some public domain photos have been known to be stolen then uploaded on a public domain website without the owner's knowledge. I hate to see this happen to anyone but all you can do is submit your evidence of ownership and if zazzle agrees with you then they could reinstate the design.

[whimsywhim]

My point is it wouldn't be available for sale.  It's off the marketplace.

[PenguinPower]

Even if someone is trying to claim copyright in this case, its likely totally bogus… you cannot copyright a simple shape and I would think a cross certainly falls into that category, especially as it sounds as if whimsy started with a plain image… I’d think you’d have to add something pretty unique to qualify a cross for protection. Hopefully you get an answer, Whimsey. 

[whimsywhim]

That's why I'm at a loss.  I hope I get an answer, too.

[Barbara]

I'm willing to bet it wasn't the cross because over the years, many of us have received the email claiming the image was in violation when it's actually something else in the text, the only way of finding this out being to reply to the email and ask for details. It's rare, but I've seen a few instances where the algorithm was wrong.

We've complained about this for years. If they'd simply alter the automated email that the problem could be with an image, a tag, or a title, it would help a lot. It would also help if they'd lock the item and put it under Hidden or Under Review.

Colorwash's Home

[whimsywhim]

I see.  So even though the image is included, it's not necessarily the image.  I hope that's it because it would be crazy if it were really the cross.  If you're right, Barbara, I hope Zazzle reconsiders including an image because it makes one think that it's the image that's the problem.  Thank you for this information.

[anura22]

About a week ago I received notice through email stating a number of my listed products were in violation and would be deleted.  Each email referred to an image.  Soooo, I did a return email on each notice that the image referred to was legal with an explanation.  Yesterday I received an email from Zazzle Content Review that the reason they were removed was due to a tag word.  There was no mention of the image.

I really appreciated their feedback but it would have taken less of their time and mine if the original email contained the info on the tags and did not refer to the image only.

I also urge Zazzle to reconsider their email notification and include specifics on reason for infringement. Thanks, Whimsy, for bring this up in the forum.

[whimsywhim]

You're welcome.  It seems more and more likely that it's the tags.  I'm anxious to find out.

[Windy]

I was confused by your original post in this thread because you said "they said it was an image within the product". Did the email say the image was in violation? 

[whimsywhim]

Yes, that was confusing - my apologies.  It was "image and/or text", and it contained an image of the cross.  That's why I thought it was the cross.  I'm waiting for a reply back.

[ColsCreations]

On a whim I checked "gold cross" for trademarks.
Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS) 

"gold cross" has two live registrations and a bunch of dead ones. Of the two live ones, one doesn't apply (it's related to medical services) but the other one might as, if I am understanding the info right, it's for class 30 which shows to be for a bunch of food and candy stuff. Which Zazzle does sell.

So it's possible "gold cross" as a tag got it flagged but that doesn't make much sense since its a common one, 8,600+ results for it.

[whimsywhim]

Yes, I can't imagine that the term 'gold cross' is copyrighted.  That would be crazy.  That's a great link!  Thank you!