On 04/01/2016, I decided I had enough of the hypocritical rules of other forums that denied me the right to post my own shop of repaints in which I had received permission to use. It came as a surprise to me, considering anything that isn't technically hand drawn is someone else's property. Google images offers public access to both non-stock and stock images. Of course, we know that stock images are copyrighted and therefore an individual can purchase the item. However, websites such as Tumblr, Pinterest, or Facebook upload their users pictures and through search engines and these are technically none of their responsibilities (this is said to the users of said websites when they sign up for the website).
Here's what Tumblr had to say:
"This Privacy Policy does not apply to the practices of third parties that we do not own, control, or manage, including but not limited to any third party websites, services, applications, or businesses", "We don't take responsibility for the content or privacy policies of those Third Party Services" (referenced: https://www.tumblr.com/policy/en/privacy).
What does this mean? All users of these social media sites are at will. You put your picture up, it isn't safe. However, it has been told and falsified to us that repainting of these public and not copyrighted images is "theft". While glorifying the idea that taking an avatar image or screenie and editing it or repainting it is considered ethical. Unfortunately, I will be one of the first to tell you that IMVU does have copyrights for those avatars.
Here's what IMVU says:
"IMVU provides digital content and products through this Service. Certain information, documents, products and services provided on and through this Service, including content, logos, graphics, sounds and images (together, the "Materials") are provided to you by IMVU and are the copyrighted and/or trademarked work of IMVU or IMVU's contributing partners and/or licensors" (referenced: http://www.imvu.com/catalog/web_info.php?section=Info&topic=terms_of_service).
What does this mean? I was unfairly banned for using an image that I had a right to use, while others had shops open that gave no credit to IMVU. Along with that, they state that they are not affiliated to IMVU although they are clearly using their products and using IMVU's public image in order to profit.
How can we have a world where artistic freedom is expressed and everyone wins? It's simple really, you credit the people who deserve it. If you are making an avatar image, you credit IMVU and link to their homepage. If you are opening a screenshot shop, then again provide credit to IMVU and link to their homepage AS WELL as provide credit and acknowledge to the creators or devs of whatever it is that you are wearing. If you grab a picture off the internet and it is not copyrighted (no watermarks, etc.), then provide a link to the host of the picture and you MUST state that it is NOT an original piece of art but rather a muse.
How can it be that we've been lied to for so long about the reality of "theft" through IMVU?
Here's what Tumblr had to say:
"This Privacy Policy does not apply to the practices of third parties that we do not own, control, or manage, including but not limited to any third party websites, services, applications, or businesses", "We don't take responsibility for the content or privacy policies of those Third Party Services" (referenced: https://www.tumblr.com/policy/en/privacy).
What does this mean? All users of these social media sites are at will. You put your picture up, it isn't safe. However, it has been told and falsified to us that repainting of these public and not copyrighted images is "theft". While glorifying the idea that taking an avatar image or screenie and editing it or repainting it is considered ethical. Unfortunately, I will be one of the first to tell you that IMVU does have copyrights for those avatars.
Here's what IMVU says:
"IMVU provides digital content and products through this Service. Certain information, documents, products and services provided on and through this Service, including content, logos, graphics, sounds and images (together, the "Materials") are provided to you by IMVU and are the copyrighted and/or trademarked work of IMVU or IMVU's contributing partners and/or licensors" (referenced: http://www.imvu.com/catalog/web_info.php?section=Info&topic=terms_of_service).
What does this mean? I was unfairly banned for using an image that I had a right to use, while others had shops open that gave no credit to IMVU. Along with that, they state that they are not affiliated to IMVU although they are clearly using their products and using IMVU's public image in order to profit.
How can we have a world where artistic freedom is expressed and everyone wins? It's simple really, you credit the people who deserve it. If you are making an avatar image, you credit IMVU and link to their homepage. If you are opening a screenshot shop, then again provide credit to IMVU and link to their homepage AS WELL as provide credit and acknowledge to the creators or devs of whatever it is that you are wearing. If you grab a picture off the internet and it is not copyrighted (no watermarks, etc.), then provide a link to the host of the picture and you MUST state that it is NOT an original piece of art but rather a muse.
How can it be that we've been lied to for so long about the reality of "theft" through IMVU?
