First off, I just left the kitchen and I have concocted the most wonderful jam I have ever made and I don’t think anyone else has ever done it – well, that’s a little too ambitious a statement, but I’ve never heard of it before. I will post early in the morning I hope.
Now, I’ve asked to be serious just this once only because I think it is important. Many of you who are my blogger friends are young and ALL of us are well-intentioned so please, please, please read this paragraph and then read the two links I have provided.
Earlier this week, I was scrolling through Google +, mostly because I was missing Face Book and I’ve made some great new friends there, when I found a shared link (thank you Lizzy Do) to someone named Roni Loren. She is a fiction writer who, with the best of intentions, got caught up in the most miserable awful mess I’ve ever read a blogger get caught in. However, it is apropos to my situation leading to me taking down my FB page and more than anything it is a cautionary tale for each and every blogger should read. I believe Ms. Loren is brave and courageous for bearing her soul for the whole world to see. I have asked her permission to blog about this and lead you to her site so you, like me, may become better educated about what is legal and illegal. While we all have feelings about what is okay and what is not – when the law is involved, as you will read, feelings do not matter. The first link is how she was sued (and lost) for publishing something that wasn’t her property and the second link is a follow-up and of interest to most of us, a Q & A involving many aspects of copyright law but most prominent is how it relates to food bloggers and recipes. Thanks, and I’ll see you all tomorrow!
http://www.roniloren.com/blog/2012/8/2/faq-on-the-blog-photo-debacle.html
Thank you for posting this. I think it is very important for people to be conscious of copyright laws. Too often the creators of things never get the credit for what they create and often find their most wonderful creations adopted by others under someone else’s name. Whenever you want to publish something that belongs to someone else, you MUST get their permission IN WRITING! to protect yourself. As a publisher I live by this doctrine.
I’m glad you read it. The most important thing for me is that bloggers who feel that it’s okay for someone to post their images, recipes, or blog posts as long as their name remains on it – need to understand that the law does not agree, unless they give their permission first – as you say – IN WRITING. That’s why I waited nearly a week to post this, because I needed Roni’s permission. Thanks for reading! I hope all bloggers and FaceBookers read it!
The issue of copyrighting is truly a serious issue, I never realised to what extent it was. Thank you for posting about this my friend, I will keep it in mind for sure.
I wish this lady had not had to go through so much, when all of us do the same everyday!
She certainly does not deserve it!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
That’s true CCU, she said in one of her comments that there are now internet companies that “scrape” the internet – much like those whose blogs etc.. have no original posts – to find their client’s posts/recipes/photographs/art work and when they do, they send a cease and desist letters, a bill, and then they pay for an attorney to sue – all this for a yearly fee. I’ve got to go to my pinterest board and clean it out tomorrow. Truly a serious thing…Thanks for reading.
I take all my own pictures of the things I make. I don’t worry about them being copied on other sites because they are not that good. If someone likes the recipe and picture they are welcome to pass it on. I was talked into blogging about food by several bloggers and writers I know with the idea that I should share my low cost recipes and get them in the public domain for others to use. A fifth of the country is having a hard time putting dinner on the table. I do understand your concern because you have a different focus. That was a very good link and thanks for bringing this up. It is good information to know.
You are right and this is a very hard and somewhat volatile subject. Your recipes ARE wonderful and I love them. That poor young woman who got sued thought she had done her due diligence, and yet, in her case it didn’t matter. I think the end result is if the original blogger deems it a copyright infringement – at least at this time. Thanks for reading! Always appreciate your thoughtful comments!
That was great info. I read every bit of the information. That is terrible that someone would sue a blogger, especially since she tried to comply by taking the photo down. I will definitely be more careful about the images I post in the future. I don’t think I am being illegal at this point. I use most of my own crappy photos. 🙂
Ha! me too! No one would steal mine I’m sure but I need to reasess how I look at the Internet and what is shared etc…. Thanks for reading!
Thank you for sharing. I also use my own rather mediocre photos. Very interesting.
Lillian
lillianscupboard.wordpress.com
You take great pictures! I love the one from yesterday that you took of the harnessed horse flag you made….great lighting..
Thanks for the heads up!
Beth
Hey Beth – I’m making doughnuts right now, but it’s supposed to be about 15 degrees cooler today so it’s time to dye the onesies!! Let’ hope they turn out.
You are one busy gal!!! Can I come over? I love doughnuts. I’m really looking forward to seeing your tie dyed onesies.
Beth
I just posted about you on Facebook and how I was following your tutorial to tie dye……..when I post my results – I’ll post a link to your tie dye post. It won’t bring you much traffic I don’t think because I have locked up my FB page (personal one) very tightly but those who will read it will be VERY likely to actually do it!