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Advice

Use of 3D Showcase/Videos without Permission373

WGAN Forum
Founder &
WGAN-TV Podcast
Host
Atlanta, Georgia
DanSmigrod private msg quote post Address this user
I was surprised recently to see:

a photographer using my 3D Showcase tours on their website without my permission.

a photographer that used my YouTube video of a Matterport 3D Showcase tour (scraped and embedded rather than using the share feature of YouTube).

a photographer that re-published my video of my Matterport 3D Showcase tour to their YouTube channel.

a photographer that represented themselves as a Realtor to me in need of a photographer to see if our We Get Around Referral Network Matterport Pro 3D Camera Photographers already had a photographer in their market so s/he could then join our network (I declined).

I treat every Matterport 3D Showcase as a work-of-art to help our clients achieve their goals; and earn We Get Around the next account. It's hard work to make it look so easy.

Anyone else run into their work being used by someone else without their permission?

Other than asking them to take it down (which I have done and they have agreed to do), other thoughts on this topic?
Post 1 IP   flag post
Glenda private msg quote post Address this user
That happened to Dan Milstein last year ... he responded by including his web address in the title.
Post 2 IP   flag post
Jamie private msg quote post Address this user
It would be nice if we had the option to refresh the link to the scan. It wouldn't stop them, but it would make it a pain for them to keep changing it. Maybe that could be a wish list option.
Post 3 IP   flag post
Jamie private msg quote post Address this user
What about using Tims service for this problem? You could then change the link if needed?

I originally had a printed sign that I had in the first shot of the scan. It essentially embedded my information. The only problem was a few agents didn't like it and wanted it removed.
Post 4 IP   flag post
CharlieB private msg quote post Address this user
Contact their webhost and tell them that it is protected by the DMCA copyright act and have it removed.
Post 5 IP   flag post
alx3D private msg quote post Address this user
My plan for when this happens is:
Confront thief, lock stolen model, duplicate it, send client new code, switch between codes until they get tired of going to your website every day.

This is one reason I think the locking and being able to duplicate after is such a critical function. I think MP will help you replace the code. It is a pain and probably not worth the legal trouble even though they are clearly in the wrong. I do agree with Jamie in that Tim's service offers a nice, clean work around to this.
Post 6 IP   flag post
WGAN Forum
Founder &
WGAN-TV Podcast
Host
Atlanta, Georgia
DanSmigrod private msg quote post Address this user
Thank you for your thoughts ...

Each of the photographers agreed to remove the content, once I made the request. (And, apologized...)

Dan
Post 7 IP   flag post
Mikesobay private msg quote post Address this user
Vimeo has addressed this by allowing the content owner to designate which websites can access videos. This would likely prevent MLSs (as they permit MP embedding) syndication to other sites, such as Zillow, however.
Post 8 IP   flag post
RenderingSpace private msg quote post Address this user
At least 6-7 people who participate in this forum have either used my web design, my wording, or graphics without permission.

I just don't really care unless they're in my market. Imitation is the highest form of flattery.
Post 9 IP   flag post
Jamie private msg quote post Address this user
Shouldn't you expect a clip from that?
Post 10 IP   flag post
Marcel private msg quote post Address this user
@RenderingSpace I also have the same problem with MUG members continually stealing my designs, graphics, videos, models, styling but the worst is content, word by word. This causes a huge problem with google keyword rankings. Yes it's country specific but I've unfortunately just been copied by someone in my area.

Honestly, how hard is it to setup a wordpress site and select one of the 100's of free templates instead of the effort to steal someone else's site. If you cannot take the time to write your own content then what hope do you have of generating a sales plan or a marketing pitch. Your business will surely fail.

I'm very tempted to 'name and shame' them on this website. sigh.. what a waste of my time...
Post 11 IP   flag post
al9901 private msg quote post Address this user
I worked for 2 years with a Swiss company that had software trawling the web for clients' pirated content, I can offer this insight:

Using content that does not belong to you is against the law. Unfortunately, it is now so widespread, from outright pirating to using images and videos without permission, that getting people to comply is very difficult. You can send them a DMCA notice. DMCA notice effectively states "You have content belonging to me, I am the owner, please remove in 7 days". If they do not comply, you can escalate the matter, but this costs time in fees, filings and court fees. Some people know that the worst that can happen is they get a few angry emails and its worth the risk.

Personally, I would not go down the DMCA route if I ever found someone using my showcases again. We had a company out west that used our Matterport showcases to get orders whilst they waited to raise enough money for a camera. Although Norway is outside of the EU, getting any action was next to impossible according to our lawyer. If the company were larger, I would file probably go down the route of fraud or impersonating my company. A lawyer will know what needs to have occurred for this to be realistic, but the truth is that unless you have the $ to fight them, you just need to play a different game. You can always get your docs and invoices together, redact any personal information and send it all to the offenders customers, even suggesting you will do that if they fail to comply should get only the most amoral of business person (if you can call a copyright thief that) to do the right thing. Another you can try is online media. Nothing screws up a business' prospects than being outranked or even having a bad review just below their search result. Write a post on a site such with SEO clout such as this forum, along with supporting evidence and verification, get others to comment on them. Title it with the business or site name and the offender, then when they are googled their dodgy past becomes instantly apparent. Always get legal counsel from someone qualified though, this could go very wrong unintentionally.

There are two things as an agency that you feel when you see this:

1) Outrage that something you put so much time into, from sale to completion and to support, is being used by someone else who didn't lift a finger
2) Panic; if your client sees this it will create worry for them and make them look bad, therefore, less chance of more work from them in the future

You have to put these aside in business, it happens all the time. It's wrong, but you must be pragmatic. There was not a single camera in Norway when we started, now there are 4 companies doing this. They saw our site (and some of them were former employees of our customers) and practically copied our vision word for word. But what you have to remember is that you do this not for a quick buck, but for a long term business in the world of 3D. I remember the early 2000s with the rush for websites, the mid 2005-2007 was SEO and PPC, 2010-2011 with the fever around every company having a social media presence and now the same will happen with 3D. Of those companies, 99% are now nothing, because they only saw a short-term cash cow and when the bubble burst and customers only wanted to work with the best, they had no understanding, no innovation and no drive to create, only to copy. Learn everything about the industry, talk to your customers, challenge them to do more and design solutions that solve their frustrations. That will out perform greedy, lazy, workshy people that just steal other people's work.
Post 12 IP   flag post
JulianHowardCT private msg quote post Address this user
A lot of MP photographers seem to be putting a flipped version of their logo across the face of their cameras. Any shots in front of mirrors means you get a little safety with copyright - not to mention a bit of free advertising.
Post 13 IP   flag post
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