On Sun, 2 May 1999 15:39, "Chip Stratton" <cstrat@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> I apologize for this off-topic pet peeve. I wish there was a way to
>> track the use of one's images on the web. (If I was an unethical web
>> page designer I would make my first raid on The Unofficial Olympus
>> Gallery!)
>Actually, there is a pretty good way to track your images. There are methods
>of "watermarking" digital images, whereby text information (say your name
>etc.) of your choosing is embedded into the image. This information can be
>recovered with the appropriate software.
Actually, watermarking of images only help AFTER you realized that
someone has used a copy of your image. It helps to proof ownership
or copyright, but it does not help to "track" if someone has made a
copy of your image. With the WWW being world-wide, it is practically
impossible to know how many people in how many countries have used
your image -- even if it is watermarked, or even with the words
"Copyrighted 1999 by John Doe" plainly visible. If someone made a
copy of your image, what are the chances that you will come across it
and have a chance to claim violation? The chance is very small.
Second problem, watermarking of digital images only help with
identifying a digital copy of the original digital image. If the
image is printed out then re-scanned, or only the printed image is
used, then all evidence of the watermark is gone. If someone grabs
an image off the net and uses it in a printed form for commercial
purposes in another part of the world, it is practically impossible
to track and try to collect royalty.
In this particular case, the image was re-used in the same forum it
originally appeared, giving the copyright owner a chance to see it
and recognize it. But in the real world, the chance of actually
running into your own "stolen" image is very very small.
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