Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Copyright Infringement

It doesn't matter that the saying is "imitation is the sincerest form of flattery". IT'S NOT. It's stealing.

I know way too many other instances of friends of mine having their designs copied. Apparently there are some people out there who think it's perfectly acceptable to copy something if they see it on the internet.

Such is the case with this blogger:
http://gvendolinyewellery.blogspot.com/

She has, on two separate occasions, posted pictures of one of my original designs. She apparently created the copies from images she found on my blog and/or on my flickr photostream, since I wasn't offering my pattern for purchase until a couple of weeks ago. I have told her that she needs to purchase the pattern, but she has refused to do so. I left a comment on her blog (which required her approval - that never happened) saying that this was my original design and that she didn't have permission to copy it. Now she's blocked me from leaving comments on her blog, and I don't have any other way to contact her.

This is so infuriating.

Here are links to her posts showing off "her" new bracelet. MY design.
http://gvendolinyewellery.blogspot.com/2009/05/little-vine-peyote-cuff.html
http://gvendolinyewellery.blogspot.com/2009/09/little-vine-peyote-cuff-ii.html

Since I can't leave a comment for her with the link for her to purchase a copy of my pattern (http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=33953679), I thought I'd solicit some help from my beady friends. If any of you have a spare minute or two, could you please leave a comment on her blog? Feel free to post the link to my pattern, so she can click that and purchase it.

And to all my friends who have had their designs copied (sadly, this happens regularly to at least one of my friends), I can empathize. I wish I couldn't.

Thanks for your support.


16 comments:

Melody Marie Murray said...

I'm so sorry. Grrrr. I left a comment but bet it will never get approved. Cheaters suck, and copiers are the worst sort of cheaters.

MAKUstudio said...

Sorry this happened MaryLou. Not cool.

Carol Dean Sharpe said...

I submitted the following comment, but doubt that she will approve it:

The copyright for this pattern belongs to time2cre8 (MaryLou Holvenstott). You had no right to bead this cuff without her permission. To make this right, you should purchase her pattern here: http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=33953679

Just because you can discern a pattern from pictures does not mean it is right to do so. In most circles this is considered THEFT! It is equally outrageous that you don't credit her with the design and let your readers think you came up with this on your own.

Carol Dean Sharpe said...

oops...turns out she blocked me as well :(

Bonnie Kreger at B-LEE KREATIONS said...

Hey Marylou, can't believe that happened. Where is this person at anyway? Looks like Russian. I'll send her a message also.

Bonnie Kreger

:-) MaryLou said...

Thanks for all the support, everyone!

The person who did this is from Hungary. Apparently, she's blocking some or all of the comments that people are leaving (and in some cases blocking the people!)

MadScientistK said...

The language she's using is Hungarian. And yes, she has now blocked commenting for anyone she hasn't pre-approved - I wasn't even allowed to leave a comment for approval! I guess she thinks that if she ignores the issue it will go away!

MadScientistK said...

I did find this, though: http://www.google.com/blogger_dmca.html
Maybe you can file for Blogger to remove the content she stole from you!

Anna said...

I know comments were allowed the first time I looked and I was going to go back to comment, but now they are completely blocked. I think you should report her blog to Blogger since she is breaking the law. I'm sure if it were infringement on a Disney character or some such, they wouldn't hesitate.

Carol- Beads and Birds said...

Hi
I wanted to leave a comment but found she removed the comment capability. Too sad that people must steal other's designs. Wonder how Karma will reward her.

AWJ said...

How awful for you. I agree with the others who say you should report her to Blogger.

Lisa Peters Russ said...

Can you find her elsewhere on the internet? Could you print the page from her blog and post it on flickr or facebook and write your story below. SHe is obviously not going to let anyone write her a message. So, if you did this, maybe she would see it and not do it again for stealing the design. Also I do not think blogger can do anything, its not offensive to the general public and I think thats how they determine what material to delete, but who might be able to do something would be etsy?? Is this design on etsy? Good Luck ML!

Kim said...

I hope you have success, this type of thing sort of squashes my desire to share my new designs (as newbie as I am at it)...but then I think of all the joy you have broght to me and others through sharing yours and I realize that THAT makes it worth it.
Keep sharing your creative passion :)
We appreciate that you are willing to deal with this type of crap in order to share your passion of creativity with the world

storybeader said...

That's pretty blatant!

I've tried to comment, but I'm blocked too! I was going to say something like "I just bought this bracelet from another artist!"

Lulu Jewels said...

Hi, I went to the blog and it seems to be in another language, perhaps she does not speak English and therefore cannot read or respond? I know how frustrating this is as I have been through it myself... but one piece of advice I'd give is that posting her information on your blog will attract attention to her, and as they say in the PR world, any publicity is good publicity. It would be a shame if she ended up making sales as a result of clicks to your site to hers. Just a thought. Carry on. Copying is rampant, but innovation, quality craftsmanship, and excellent customer service will prevail in the end.

Mellisa said...

What I find really astounding is that she even has your blog listed in her blogroll under "inspiration"!

I definitely agree that you should be able to contact blogger and have them intervene.

I'm sorry this is happening to you, I'm seeing this all too often on different blogs :(