Kinkos, and copyright infringement
Apr 12, 2018 14:04:11 #
I have (had) 4 good commercial jobs set up for decorating local businesses with photos of local landmarks.
I was just told by one "customer" , that she found some photos she liked online, and had them printed on canvas at Kinkos!
I'm not 100% surprised that this lady didn't know that isn't how things are to be done, but really, Kinkos printing them just blows me away.
I don't want to get a bad reputation for turning in Kinkos for the printing, but I can't tell you how upset I am at losing a $5000-$7000 sale either.
If I knew for sure where she got the photos, I might be tempted to contact the owner of the photos, and tell them to stop by the business, but I don't have a clue where she got them.
Maybe I should drop it, but if they are printing someone else's work, when will they print mine?
I was just told by one "customer" , that she found some photos she liked online, and had them printed on canvas at Kinkos!
I'm not 100% surprised that this lady didn't know that isn't how things are to be done, but really, Kinkos printing them just blows me away.
I don't want to get a bad reputation for turning in Kinkos for the printing, but I can't tell you how upset I am at losing a $5000-$7000 sale either.
If I knew for sure where she got the photos, I might be tempted to contact the owner of the photos, and tell them to stop by the business, but I don't have a clue where she got them.
Maybe I should drop it, but if they are printing someone else's work, when will they print mine?
Apr 12, 2018 14:27:10 #
I seem to recall that Kinkos has already been hit once with a copyright infringement suit that resulted in a substantial (>$1 million) fine.
Apr 12, 2018 14:28:48 #
There is an increasingly cavalier attitude toward respecting intellectual property, which your photos certain are. As the co-author of a recently published textbook, I was pretty careful about having copies of the various chapters floating around before we made a deal with the publisher. Now that it is copyrighted, I have no fear. I do not know the ins and outs of copyrighting photographs, but it might be worth investigating. Losing a sale hurts and I sympathize with your concern.
Apr 12, 2018 14:48:37 #
Are you really losing money? If someone refuses to pay for the use of images, you can bet they will never pay you or anyone else $5000-$7000, even if confronted. That lady was not a potential customer to begin with. And contacting the owner of the images won't bring anything; she'll just find and download another set of "free" images elsewhere on the internet to get printed for her wall.
The bottom line is, if you don't want anyone usurping your images without paying you, don't put them up on the internet where the public has access to them and can download them as they please. Either keep the access to your images password-restricted, or only upload images that don't matter to you. It is that simple.
The bottom line is, if you don't want anyone usurping your images without paying you, don't put them up on the internet where the public has access to them and can download them as they please. Either keep the access to your images password-restricted, or only upload images that don't matter to you. It is that simple.
Apr 12, 2018 15:56:52 #
rook2c4 wrote:
Are you really losing money? If someone refuses to... (show quote)
I strictly get paid before I ever order the prints/frames. Been in the business too long to do it any other way. In God We Trust, all others pay in advance....
As for photos online, I don't post them online, at least not the ones I'm selling. it's all done in person. This lady did brag during our first meeting, that she took a photo at a museum, and had Kinkos put it on a canvas. I'm just surprised after the trouble they've had, that they are still willing to do it.
bk
Apr 12, 2018 16:06:22 #
MichaelH
Loc: NorCal via Lansing, MI
Just wondering how would Kinkos know who took the picture. Wouldn't they just have to have you sign something that said you had rights to the photos and cover their butt that way?
Apr 12, 2018 16:17:58 #
MichaelH wrote:
Just wondering how would Kinkos know who took the picture. Wouldn't they just have to have you sign something that said you had rights to the photos and cover their butt that way?
Exif data, or at the very least, they should ask for a signed copyright release, or a signed affidavit saying that the person printing was the copyright owner. If someone signs something like that, it would release Kinkos, but would put the person signing on the hook.
Any time I've taken photos to get them done as proofs (always send my photos out, but sometimes for proofs, I'll use Costco, or Sams, they make me sign a form that says they are my images.
Apr 12, 2018 20:14:05 #
bkyser wrote:
I have (had) 4 good commercial jobs set up for dec... (show quote)
You cannot even take a printed book to FedX Kinkos and make a copy, the clerks know this is a copyright issue. Personally, I'd call corporate.
Apr 13, 2018 08:25:56 #
rgrenaderphoto wrote:
You cannot even take a printed book to FedX Kinkos and make a copy, the clerks know this is a copyright issue. Personally, I'd call corporate.
Yeah, I'm on the fence. I know they (Kinkos) already paid $1.9 million for copying textbooks. Not sure if they understand copyright infringement on photos or not.
I think I'm going to message PPA about it, since they are really pushing the copyright issue this last couple of years. Maybe they can make the call, and keep my name out of it. This lady knows a lot of other business owners, and I really don't want to shoot myself in the foot here. Most business owners are smart enough to keep it legal, but if she keeps using my name, saying I turned her/Kinko's in, it may lose me more business.
Your idea of calling corporate is a good one though, hopefully they would follow up and explain the rules to the local branch, and let them know that if they do it, they could lose their franchise (or whatever punishment), since I'm guessing they don't want to pay another (close to ) $2 million.
I'm not trying to get her business back, what I'm worried about now is other people getting the idea and thinking that stealing images is OK.
Apr 13, 2018 08:50:04 #
As I recall, Kinkos basically left all college campuses because of a huge copyright infringement lawsuit a number of years ago.
Apr 13, 2018 10:06:40 #
jaymatt wrote:
As I recall, Kinkos basically left all college campuses because of a huge copyright infringement lawsuit a number of years ago.
Yes, and had to pay a $1.9 million fine for it as well. I think the info never made it to all the Franchise owners, though.
Apr 13, 2018 15:25:30 #
jaymatt wrote:
As I recall, Kinkos basically left all college campuses because of a huge copyright infringement lawsuit a number of years ago.
The Kinko's just across the street from the university where I teach closed a couple of years back. And there was a huge Kinko's across the street from the University of Texas - now closed. the company got burned and I wonder if some stronger guidance from the top might have prevented this. Course packs made up by professors, all with a legitimate copyright clearance (fair use) for students in their classes. It was a good resource, if well managed. But, greed may have intervened.
PPA should have a work with Kinko's. As I stated earlier, unauthorized reproduction of intellectual property is theft, just like stealing money - in this case, right out of the creators' pockets.
Apr 13, 2018 16:16:47 #
adamsg wrote:
The Kinko's just across the street from the univer... (show quote)
I did leave a message with PPA this morning. I haven't heard back yet. I just called the general number, not sure if I need to call back when humans are answering the phone to get an actual department to speak to.
Stupid day job... Makes it difficult to do the important things in life, so I have to call before, or after work.
bk
Apr 13, 2018 18:29:12 #
IDguy
Loc: Idaho
The Kinkos copyright lawsuit has nothing to do with them printing a customer’s image. It was about them copying and selling copyright material.
Apr 13, 2018 21:57:05 #
When people upload their photos to a Walmart or other chain stores, are they required to check ownership of each image before returning prints to a customer?
I strongly believe in copyright protection, but how can it be accomplished today besides a complaint after the fact?
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I strongly believe in copyright protection, but how can it be accomplished today besides a complaint after the fact?
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