Don't Steal From A Mama Who Feeds Her Child Severed Fingers...

Not the post I had planned but I thought I should document this somewhere in case anyone else needs to know what to do.

So...yesterday I got a message on FB from a chap called Michael who asked if I owned the image below. As you know, this is one of my most popular posts, a true oldie but goodie. He went on to tell me that a Zombie Cafe was using it to promote their menu and linked me to their Facebook page.

Not only were they using my image, they had plastered their logo all over it too - flattering as it is to have my severed fingers on a Zombie Cafe menu, the crux of the matter is that the image was stolen.

The images were watermarked so there is a lesson in itself - don't assume watermarking will protect your work!

So I sharpened my favourite axe and headed on over there... 

Kidding!

What I actually did was poke around on their page until I found an email address. then I googled for Cease and Desist templates and found this one.

I copy and pasted the template then tweaked it. The template version is from a lawyer so I changed it so it was sent from my office manager. Popped it in an email then sent it off.

Next, I went back to FB and put in a claim about the image. 

Click on the photo, underneath is "options" then "report photo"

Then you need to click through several options, I chose "something else" then "unauthorized use of my property" 

Eventually you get to a form you need to fill in, it includes the link to the photo and you need some kind of proof that it is your image, I linked back to the original blog post from 2009.

I use Sidekick with my gmail so I could see when the email I had sent had been opened. Not long after the image was removed. Then I woke up this morning with a message from FB saying the same.

I probably didn't need to contact FB but I wanted a back-up plan and FB are notorious for not playing fair!

That was it, Jo the severed finger maker 1 - zombie cafe 0

I don't mind my images being shared IF there is a link back to the original source. I think that is one of the beautiful things about the internet. But stealing and promoting it as your own, not on! I don't get why they didn't just make their own and take their own pictures?!?

Right, back to it, now my severed fingers are safe...

***Update Zombie Cafe owner did email me 2 days after the fact with a rather weak apology, but an apology all the same. I hope she went and educated herself a bit about using other people's property!