Tuesday 3 April 2012

{Horrible Act} I Demand A Fair Judgement!

Chinese version of this post on 什么是侵犯版权 HERE.
My mood was badly affected since yesterday after seeing a link posted over at "Munch Ministry - Happy Call Group" at facebook. The link was featured by Deal.com.sg regarding purchase of Happy Call Pan (link HERE). I was shock to find this link after reading the comments over at the Happy Call Group (as the members mentioned the featuring HCP photos are very familiar to their eyes) because those photos featuring in the advertisement are ALL mine except one of it. And the worst nightmare is the Merchant from "Everything Korean" actually crop and ERASED my watermark and replaced it with their in order to claim the right of the photos. As a food blogger who love to cook, snap photos and devote most of my time in blogging I am really upset over this issue.

So after some thoughts, I decided to post some comparisons photos from the featured links with my original photos over at Cuisine Paradise facebook page (HERE and HERE) as well as Deal.com.sg and Everything Korean facebook page to create awareness this misused of photos and copyright issue. But sad to sad, both Deal.com and Everything Korean REMOVED comments posted by me and some of readers without even giving us a clarification on this issue. I am not trying to crate any problems for those parties involved, what I demand is a fair judgement for my STOLEN photos.


Above are some stolen photos of mine featuring at Deal.com.sg Happy Call Pan Deal which watermarks have being ERASED and replace by the Merchant's "EVERYTHING KOREAN" watermark. You can compare the above photos with my original photos below. They look 1000% exactly the same as my original photos!!!! 


Original Photo from Happy Call Double Sided Pressure Pan - 韩国双面锅 HERE with my copyright watermark "©Cuisine Paradise".


Original Photo from Happy Call Double Sided Pressure Pan - 韩国双面锅 HERE with my copyright watermark "©Cuisine Paradise".

After my emails addressing to deal.com.sg plus leaving comments at their facebook page, they finally replied my email this morning addressing that they are in the process of taking down the pictures and they would also look into the matter with the merchant. But my replied to them is to demand them to REMOVE all  my related photos with IMMEDIATELY effect and yet they only remove 2 of the photos featuring my Happy Call Dishes which is shown on the comparison photos below plus they also STOP the featuring deal.

Emails from the person in-charge of "Everything Korean" after see "comments" over at their facebook (which had being removed by them) and as well my emails to deal.com.sg. From his emails I feel that he is not sincere (as he should seek my concern before using those photos) with his words and after my replied to him to remove all my related photos from deal.com.sg with IMMEDIATE effect he did not even bother to reply my email at all till now.

So with all the above, it is sad to say that these people are really unprofessional in handling such case and I did not received any further clarifications or apologise from either Deal.com or their merchant till date.

First photo above featuring two of my  Happy Call Dishes whereas 2nd photo below Deal.com has remove the dish photos after my receiving pressure emails and feedback from my supporting readers and friends. But then they still did not remove the rest of the relating photos which you can still see from their link HERE.

My original photos of the above dishes which can be found at Claypot Rice and Sizzling Tofu Post HERE.

Another online deal from "Everything Korean" using my photos featuring at Singapore Bestsite.

Lastly one of my reader from facebook also mentioned that "Home Idea" has taken a photo of mine shown above (link HERE) without my permission, concern or knowledge.

Home Ideas added another some photos and recipes of my Happy Call Pan dishes to their facebook page without my approval. {Updated on: 04 April 2012) Although they have removed all related photos and recipes but this screen captured will remains to act of warning for future theft.

My Happy Call Recipes Post is upload with exactly the same format and words over at Happy Call in Singapore and Malaysia website http://www.happycallpan.net/ without my approval or consent. {Updated on: 06 April 2012)

I really hope whoever out there who have done this kind of shameless act please spare a thought for blogger(s) like us who spent time and effort working on food photos and write-up in order to share and benefit our readers. We food blogger(s) are not those who can be easily BULLY so please don't take what we do for granted. If you really likes our photos or required any information, you can just seek for our concern on using the photos of information. Please don'tSTEAL and CLAIM whatever that is not belong to you as YOURS. If you are doing so, it is equivalent like STEALING without my approval.


CLARIFICATION EMAIL FROM DEAL


Email received from Deal.com management regarding the above issue. Glad that Richin Desai, VP, Marketing and his team has finally removed all my related photos pending to this copyright issue.

Dear Friends and Readers,

If you happen to see any of my photos from this blog being used without proper credit or like this issue, watermark being replaced unlawfully, please leave a comment or email me with details. So that in a way I could contact them as well as posting their shameless act over at this blog/facebook page. Thanks for all the supports.


48 comments:

  1. Hey Ellena, you might be interested in this.

    http://www.eventphotos.com.au/news/image-theft-is-a-crime/

    It is about a big company Jetstar stealing photos from various photographers (local) can used it in their mag/newletters. The news was featured on various newspaper/online media but quite a number of them later accepted the offer for $100 - $200 per photo. However, one guy till now still refused to accept any offer. He was offered $750.

    Stand firm and stand by our rights to our creative works.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The infringement is Ink Global Singapore.

      Delete
  2. Ellena,
    I'm also very upset after reading this post. These people are really good for nothing except stealing. Our blog is our own creativity and they just took our photos and recipes like nobody business.
    Don't give up! You got my support.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Ann. Now with this horrible incident i fully understand how frustrated you are during that situation when your photos and post are being copy and paste illegally!

      Delete
  3. depends on what you deem as fair judgement. my personal opinion is that if a company has used another individual's creative work for advertising without permission, that is theft and blatant lack of respect for any creative. the company has derived earnings from sales of the product, which is aided by advertising supplemented by the individual's work and therefore the individual MUST be compensated accordingly.
    But that is totally your choice.
    My advice, keep ALL evidence of your correspondence with them, screen capture every comment made before they delete it. If negotiation fails, put it up on facebook. Your fans and supporters will make it viral.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Jacob, I agreed with your points. Now all I want is for deal.com.sg to removed those photos of mine and at least give everyone a satisfaction explanation on the whole issue. And not rather keep silent and pretend nothing happen. That's really very unprofessional for a BIG company to do such as thing and support their client on this illegal act of stealing photos from others, removing their original watermark and stamp it with their own watermark.

      Delete
  4. HI Ellena,

    So sorry to read about what's happened.
    Something similar happened to me too, when a big travel company in Malaysia - Reliance Travel - took a photo of my kids from my blog, cropped it (just the body of the kids and erased everything else, which included my watermark), and used it in their tour advertisements, on their web AND newspaper.

    I can totally understand how you feel ... sigh. Really really hope you get something out of this situation.

    Unfortunately, I didn't.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gosh! Leonny, you have a similar encounter too? These people are really too much! Why can't they just go and snap their own photos or ASK using their mouth or a proper email to use those photos. I really can't understand them. They are terrible.

      Delete
  5. Hi Ellena,

    All I can say is deja vu... and it will not be the last time. The only suggestion I have for you is to report to Facebook and Blogger depending on the platform. Both have very good "complaint" systems and in my case (see here: http://www.bisousatoi.com/2011/12/sultana-butter-cake-ohhhh-my.html#it) FB actually removed the pictures within 12 hours - so you don't have to wait for "we are in the process of removing".
    Guess best way in future is to "print screen" everything as evidence and then immediately report to FB. I understand from FB they have the policy to let it happen once and the second time around the account gets suspended. The FB link is here: http://www.facebook.com/help/contact_us.php?id=208282075858952

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Rima, thanks for your information. I have already lodge a report thru FB using the link provided above. Hope they will removed the photos and get things done. Thanks.

      Delete
  6. Hi Ellena,

    I agree, this sucks. We had a local travel agency misuse one of our photographs as well, but at least they had the decency to apologize and remove everything after they got called out.

    If you don't hear back from Deal soon, let me know.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Daniel, thanks for your support. Till now Deal has not respond anything yet. But i have lodge a FB copyright report on Deal to demand the photo to be removed.

      Delete
  7. You should watch this video and read some of the articles there - its very related to this issue of stolen images http://noamgalai.com/scream.htm

    ReplyDelete
  8. Just send them a bill for your pictures.

    -Kevin L.

    ReplyDelete
  9. throw the pan away and dont support it?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. lol. the pan is not at fault rather it is HUMAN whom is greedy and selfish to have such act.

      Delete
  10. Even though I placed my watermark right in the middle where it's hard to be cropped, some people will still take it shamelessly displaying my pictures with my blog's name on it on their own site.

    Really, shame on these thieves
    Shame on you Arthur Wu.

    Ellena, why did you erase his number????? Let your supporters spam him with texts.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow! Your case even worst! Watermark in the middle....Gosh!!!!!

      Although he is not right in stealing my photos but I can't be that emotion to "Open" up his hp number to public or else I am no different from him.

      Delete
    2. good to think this way,
      Have a Blessed Easter this Sunday ;)

      Delete
    3. Shame on Authur! Infringement on copyright!
      I support you Ellena. Should make the company apologise online!

      Delete
  11. Oh dear. This is really upsetting. I would be very angry and sad if someone using my picture without my consent and approval too. Hope this will be solved soon without further delay.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Rose. All I require is just having my related photos being removed on their site and etc. What is so difficult about it. These people getting my nerve on.

      Delete
  12. Hi Ellena

    Fully understand how u feel and hope this difficult times is over ... cos I will never know if my photos are being use without my permission too. From Pauline Chan

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yup~ The time taken to get the ingredients, cook/bake and photo taking is not easy. Sometime it takes about a day to get everything done. So it's really heartache if it is just stolen like that.

      Delete
  13. I can understand how you feel! I had mine stolen and used as their online menu and they can even state that they recipes from their Grandma! They didn't even reply to my email requesting them to removed the photos. >:( These people are shameless!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gosh! Using Grandma as excuse!!!! These people are really disgusting!! Shameless!!!!

      Delete
    2. WokkingMum, why don't u reply them that you don't have grandkids? LOL

      Delete
  14. Taking your photos but leaving your watermark is one thing, taking your photos and removing your watermark + add their own watermark is against copyright! I can understand that Deal.com.sg might not be aware of the source of the photos but MAKE EVERYTHING KOREAN DO A PUBLIC APOLOGY ON THEIR FACEBOOK AND WEBSITE. They deserve it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ya agreed with you! I am not blaming Deal.com on the watermark issue just a bit wok up when they didn't take immediate since Everything Korean is their client. But after this incident EK seems to be disappear in the air. No news from them....

      Delete
  15. Dear All, We have taken this matter up very seriously; these images were given to us by the merchant (with their own watermarks) and we removed the images as soon as we received Ellena's e-mail. Upon investigating further, we realised other images provided by the same merchant were also copied from Cuisine Paradise. We have taken the entire deal down, to demonstrate our condemnation of such an act. We hope you won’t rebuke us even though we were lied to by the merchant.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Deal. Thansk for removing those stolen photos of mine after your email to me on the 3rd days. Hope with this incident you would be more alert on those commercial photos provided by your merchant. Perhaps they should sign a copyright infringement letter to prevent further conflict this like.

      Delete
  16. You are not alone Ellena! I can totally understand your state of mind at this time.

    My youtube videos on how to clean the Happy Call Pan plus making of muah chee were also used as a promotional video at the shop in United Square. They loop the video over and over again while selling the pans at their shop. It was only when a friend of mine passed by the shop that she notify me. By the time I headed down to the shop they have already stopped using the videos so I am not sure if anyone tipped them off but I was supremely upset that I made my video private.

    And another Gmarket seller also used my video to sell the pans... these people really have no courtesy nor sense of shame when they infringe into others copy rights.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wow!!! WTH using your youtube videos to do demo....Gosh!! These people are really MONEY Crazy! Why can't they go and make those demo video or take photos of those dishes! Although we share our photos/video online it does not mean for those to use for commercial purpose to earn $.

      These people really too much!!!!!

      Delete
  17. Dear Ellena, they are no difference from thiefs. Please stand firm and demand that they apologise and remove the photos. Hope my photos are not affected as well and how to discover whether your photos are being used.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Christine,

      Ya... this is worst than theft. This incident also involving forging of watermark and copyrights issue too. Imagine changing my original watermark to theirs!!!!!

      Emmmm mine was alert by some of my readers. But you can do a google search on your recipe/photo on a regular basis to check whether is there any similar photos with from different site. HTH

      Delete
  18. I'm sorry I didn't know about this over at facebook! I'm MAD!!!!!! I can't believe a big name company does this kind of shameless thing. What did they get out of it? Just hire some cook (or you!) to do the job right. It's not worth the trouble or lose the creditability. I hate people who take advantage of things like this. Bad karma should return. But that's not enough. Please let us know if there is any way we can help. If I see your photos I can tell it's yours (I've been your fan for a long time). I'll be on your side!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Haiz. I guess they just want easy come benefit without cost. Perhaps if with a proper credit or seek for approval things might not turn out as ugly as this.

      After all those people out there are really overdo!

      Delete
  19. Hi Ellena, I saw your link via Anncoo. It's terrible that this had to happen to you. I'm here to suggest that maybe you might want to join in with our Neighborhood Blog Watch started by Chef Dennis , where we keep an eye out for each other. You can visit his site or there's a logo on the left column at mine, where you can join up for free.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for your support Ping. I am not no blogger which to have the same thing happen to their post. Moreover this is our effort our creation and yet they just steal and go with just a few lines of codes.......

      Delete
  20. This is like day light robbery! I understand how much time and effort you have put in to prepare the dishes, take the photos and post them on your blog. I hope they make a public apology asap!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for your support HHB. I hope this issue won't happen to other food bloggers. Sometime we must stand-up firm for our rights or else those evil merchant will continue to infringement our right with those dirty acts.

      Delete
  21. Hi Ellena,

    No one wants to have their hard-work being hijacked by another. We have been consistently sharing in our blog with loads of food photos, and occasionally take on projects to document or create menus. We definitely do not want to be "violated".

    ReplyDelete
  22. Hi Ellena, this is such terrible news argh. I hope he gets what he deserves! About the copyright issues and all, ive read about it and i don't quite think you can just sue like that unless there was actual damage done. if i find the link i would send it to you again. i guess the only real thing you can do now is to email him another warning, & this is to also warn any potential stealers!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Wow, thats one too many photo stolen!!
    Last night, 5 April , I went to Insing.com
    they too are selling this pan.
    You may want to check insing if your photo are there.

    Lilly

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Lily,

      Thanks for your advice. I have checked the adv over at insing and he did not include my photos in it or else i would definitely make a big fuss over at insing.

      Delete
  24. Wow, this is just terrible! Bravo to you for standing up firmly and making public their shameless thievery! We should all boycott that disgusting merchant!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes Ling, I was in total shock plus lost when this happen. Really can't believe those money minded merchant(s) can think/do such shameless action by stealing photos and forging copyright watermarks.

      Delete
  25. Thankfully Deal.Sg has stepped out and returned justice to you on this matter. But there are still others out there who are taking advantage of bloggers and their work. Can't believe how shameless people can be.

    ReplyDelete

Dear All,

Thanks for leaving down your comments. I do value each and every of your suggestion(s) or comment(s) so if you are signing off as Anonymous, please kindly leave your Name so that I could address you. Thanks

Lastly, please DO NOT SPAM as Spam comments will be deleted immediately.

Regards
Ellena (Cuisine Paradise)

ShareThis