Team: Gork Studio
Last night, I received a link to a website of an agency. It was marked that my portrait is displayed under someone else’s name and an unclear position, along with a set of photographs of the Gork Studio team from the first lineup. The photo shoot dates back to 2017, and I wonder where they found these shots.
By stepping onto the slippery path of using someone else’s content without the knowledge of the owner of exclusive rights, our legislation has several articles that imply administrative responsibility for individuals who unlawfully use material. If you’re interested, I can ask my colleagues, copyright lawyers, to describe the consequences of this with links to the laws and how to fight it. To give you a heads-up, I’ll just say this: collecting evidence and the paperwork itself is a troublesome task, so if you encounter such a situation, be prepared for a long process.
Action plan:
1. Document the violations:
• Take screenshots of all pages where the infringing material is posted;
• Save links;
• Record your screen and capture everything on video;
2. Try to find out who owns the website:
• Domain whois;
• Phone numbers and emails;
• Legal details;
3. Find out what platform the website is built on. Describe the situation to tech support — the issue will be resolved quickly;
4. If the site is custom-built, contact the owner and ask them to remove the information;
5. If you’re ignored, I recommend contacting a lawyer immediately. Without experience in such matters, you risk wasting an unreasonable amount of time and nerves.
In my practice, this is the second case of my team’s photographs being used. The first time, the material was removed after contacting the site owner; now — after reaching out to the site builder, specifically Tilda. Their legal department works promptly and can simply block the resource entirely after providing evidence. Tilda rocks 🤍
Never step onto the slippery path of deception. Building a business using someone else’s content can lead to reputational, financial, and in some cases, criminal consequences. It certainly doesn’t promise anything good in the long run. Work honestly and protect your interests.
@gorkjournal
Last night, I received a link to a website of an agency. It was marked that my portrait is displayed under someone else’s name and an unclear position, along with a set of photographs of the Gork Studio team from the first lineup. The photo shoot dates back to 2017, and I wonder where they found these shots.
By stepping onto the slippery path of using someone else’s content without the knowledge of the owner of exclusive rights, our legislation has several articles that imply administrative responsibility for individuals who unlawfully use material. If you’re interested, I can ask my colleagues, copyright lawyers, to describe the consequences of this with links to the laws and how to fight it. To give you a heads-up, I’ll just say this: collecting evidence and the paperwork itself is a troublesome task, so if you encounter such a situation, be prepared for a long process.
Action plan:
1. Document the violations:
• Take screenshots of all pages where the infringing material is posted;
• Save links;
• Record your screen and capture everything on video;
2. Try to find out who owns the website:
• Domain whois;
• Phone numbers and emails;
• Legal details;
3. Find out what platform the website is built on. Describe the situation to tech support — the issue will be resolved quickly;
4. If the site is custom-built, contact the owner and ask them to remove the information;
5. If you’re ignored, I recommend contacting a lawyer immediately. Without experience in such matters, you risk wasting an unreasonable amount of time and nerves.
In my practice, this is the second case of my team’s photographs being used. The first time, the material was removed after contacting the site owner; now — after reaching out to the site builder, specifically Tilda. Their legal department works promptly and can simply block the resource entirely after providing evidence. Tilda rocks 🤍
Never step onto the slippery path of deception. Building a business using someone else’s content can lead to reputational, financial, and in some cases, criminal consequences. It certainly doesn’t promise anything good in the long run. Work honestly and protect your interests.
@gorkjournal