Image Theft Survey

[InsideOut]

Hi everyone, I'm almost finished developing a Windows app I've been working on for a few years now that's designed to help artists with copyright protection and I'd like to get some feedback on your experiences with image theft and how it's affected you and your income that I hope will help with marketing and future development. You can just answer here and I'll check back now and then to see the responses. Thanks. 

1. How often do you discover that one of your designs has been stolen? 

2. What methods or service do you typically use to find stolen designs? 

3. What actions do you take when you find a stolen design? 

4. Do you feel that image theft has noticeably affected your sales? 

5. Do you feel that it's getting better or worse?

I'll also be needing some beta testers when the time is right so feel free to volunteer now, though the app probably won't be ready for a few more months. 

Thanks in advance. 😃

JD

[InsideOut]

Okay, 80 views and no response? So I guess I either posted in the wrong place or image theft is no longer an issue for anyone? Which is doubtful I think since I deal with it constantly.

Could I get some guidance then on where to post this? I'm not a social media person so not really sure where to go, and I will need some beta testers soon but maybe this isn't the place for that either? Should I post this in the Pro forum instead?? Thx.

[Van]

I quit actively searching for infringements. I spot check now and then and if the thief is in the US or a country that bothers to honor a DMCA request I may send one, especially if it's Amazon or Etsy. Why? 1. Stressful doesn't begin to describe it 2. Issuing DMCA's is a full time job leaving little time to design (not that it matters with all the recent royalty cuts, ) 3. Many are in other countries - my pet peeve is Vietnam. I've found interconnected networks of infringers - (one in particular was around 100 different website). Some don't even use valid contact info. I dug deep enough to realize some of this is a much deeper rabbit hole than many people realize. Some infringers aren't touchable and they know it.

[waterart]

I don't actively go looking for stolen images but when I do come across one that's being used for commercial purposes I contact the person who took it and tell them to taken it down. If they refuse I don't give up until it is removed.

If the pic is used for something like a personal profile I just let it be, I read that in such situations some artists ask for a link back in exchange for allowing to use the pic.

That being said, I don't find often stolen images of my art, maybe it's because I don't go looking for it or maybe it's because I'm hard to find.

[Barbara]

Just an undocumented thought: Is it possible theft of real art is diminishing with the rise of AI art in which everyone's art is at risk because of the fact that AI steals from everyone? Is it easier for people to provide a prompt that results in images they can easily use for multiple purposes or is it still a no-brainer to steal from real people?

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