pits of plagiarism
We often see many bloggers write about their blogging material being copied, their ideas being confiscated and being dished out as original by the thief etc etc but have you heard of someone’s photo (picked up from this blog) being used in a magazine that is published in her hometown without her knowledge??? Don’t believe me? Have a look … this is a Punjabi magazine that is published in Canada whose designers thought that it would be a good idea to use my wedding picture besides an incoherently written piece of junk that the lady wants to pass off as an article WITHOUT my knowledge! The photo is picked off from this blog and not once did the thieves think that they should inform me or ask for my permission. They conveniently removed the front part of my blog address that IS inscribed on the photo and printed the photo as is. A friend of mine in Edmonton saw this magazine earlier today and immediately sent a phone snapshot of the page. I have contacted the sub-editor of this magazine who told me that he is sorry but it’s their designers in India who did this. Umm err, Sir, I might be a bit uninformed here but isn’t it an editor’s JOB to overlook what goes into publishing? Why are they publishing their names as ‘editors’ if they have no say in what goes to print? It is just so easy to put the blame on someone else, isn’t it? Let’s see where we take this from here. Perhaps the lawyer route! This is preposterous indeed! Many thanks to the friend who spotted this and sent it over … here are some snapshots but you can see an online version of the mag at http://www.nrisarokar.com/ (e-magazine of December 2009):
It might have been SOME consolation if I agreed with the views of the article that they posted my photo along with but it angers me even more thinking that I find that article and its tone towards women repulsive and my face is representing it! Disgusting! :(
I had to share this here. :| Really frustrated and hurt AND angry!
This had to go get published in my hometown eh? Go figure!!! Weird circle of fate, this is.
oh it happens roop… send a mail to them dont leave them, its happening to mridula also… its not her photo but its a pic clicked by her
see more on the controversy here
http://twitter.com/#search?q=%23brunchphotodispute
and
http://www.gonomad.com/traveltalesfromindia/2009/12/picture-of-mine-in-brunch-but-without.html
yes, it happens, m … sad but can’t avoid.
howeva, how strange is it that it goes and gets published in my hometown. imagine the embarrassment! especially when i am the one always carrying the feminism baton and , here, i look like i sold my wedding pic to these asses.
I know what u mean hugs roop
Shame on that editor and the ‘writer’! I hope you make them publish an apology and compensate you on taking your picture without permission. What’s with people??
As an aside, you are very pretty! :)
I would definitely contact a lawyer…they are not only using your photo without permission, but making money off of it. This isn’t another blog that was just showing off photos of other blogs…they knowingly took this image without permission and used it to sell magazines. Sue the pants off of them. It really doesn’t matter WHO took the image, the magazine is ultimately responsible.
And I will reiterate what I tell everyone else. Don’t tag your pictures and don’t “name” them. People find these images in searches and of course when you name it or tag it, the search engines will find those terms. Name your images a number (I like to use the date it was taken plus one number) and never tag anything that you don’t want searched.
Another helpful thing is to make sure you lower your resolution if you can of your image and make it small (72 is web standard). This will help render it almost useless for print media since you need at least a 150 resolution (usually 300) for print media.
Of course, this won’t be 100% in keeping people from lifting your photos, which is why very few pics of my kids are online. BUT, it can help. And forget about Facebook…they are notorious for sharing things without your permission!
Laksh: you made me smile. :) but yes, these people need to compensate!! It’s so unfair.
Sandy: sue, I must. You’re right about images thing. Mine was a smaller resolution and numbered but nothing is foolproof. I’d die a hundred deaths before putting up kids’ pictures for sure.
They may have found your blog and just saw the pictures…maybe a generic search showed it up…maybe something in your post. You are right, nothing is foolproof which is why I cringe when I see women posting all kinds of pics of their kids online willy nilly.
I know a woman who posted a picture of her husband with his shirt off who labeled it “naked boy” or some such…she said she got sooo many hits from searches of naked boys that it made her really uncomfortable and took the picture down. You never know who is gonna search for your stuff. Kinda scary actually….
This is damn unfair. The guts these people have to steal stuff like this and then trying to get away with nothing. How come in countries like US and Canada they have no fear of being sued ??
Seriously, cant you sue them or threaten to sue them so they atleast will be scared not to do this to someone else??
Apart from all this, you look breathtakingly beautiful in that picture roop. I must say they have a fine taste in stealing :)
This is outrageous! Do not relent under any circumstances and make them pay for what they have done.
I am shocked… How irresponsible is that !
OMG Roop! This is simply disgusting. You should indeed take this seriously, and being in a land famous for suing, sue them through and through. I think this is simply preposterous Roop. You don’t, just don’t take it lying down.
Very irresponsible. I need to do something about my pictures which dont even have a watermark. Arghh…
I hope they post an apology in their next issue.
That’s really ridiculous – seems like they just don’t even care that they have ripped off someone’s personal photo!
You should def follow this up!
This is ridiculous and scary too! Hope this gets resolved properly!
This is so scary…Someone picked up my pictures from my friend’s yahoo photos and created a fake profile on orkut and was making friends with guys. I posted nasty comments on the profile and that made the person drop the profile. But having the copies of this magzine circulating in you hometown is outrageous. Dont let them go so easily. They need to be taught a lesson so that they take their work more seriously.
OMG, I gotta be more careful now while posting pics I guess.
Btw, would this result in some money coming your way as a result of the case? :)
hey roop, this is really sad.. and its happening with frightening frequency..indianhomemaker faced the same thing recently..writing to them shud help..it usually gets them to make the copied material off their site.. im trying to access the magazine.. but the office network seems slowwwww….
How could they do that? Sue them, Roopie. Let them learn it the tough way!
This is really unfair. Have you thought about getting legal help? Plagiarism in any form is illegal and the editor should know better. I do hope you bring about a word in your radio show too.
Totally off-topic, we need to do a Houston bloggers meet sometime
This is disgusting! Sue them!
Awful! But tell me, how does the pic in the mag have such a good resolution? Did you post a hi-res pic on your blog?
I would have been mad if it was my image peering out of a magazine. I was hopping mad with a cup of coffee, the first comment leads to my blog. I would say don’t leave it. If you wish do drop me a line my email is on my blog.
Take it from a Lawyer, free advice- sue them. Especially since you do not agree with the views of the article. Tell them, that, it is misrepresenting you in the realm of society especially since you do a local radio show and are a known person.
All the best. :)
Thanks guys!!!!! It strengthens my resolve to see that I am not in the wrong for being grossly offended! It is a misrepresentation through and through. Also, it’s not a gold advertisement or a bridal wear advertisement they used my picture for but for a lady telling how a ‘woman’ should behave with her husband to keep him happy! WTF!
I spoke to the main ‘publisher and editor’ – Gurnam Singh Dodd – on Saturday morning who informed me that he’ll speak to the main editor who happens to be in India and either one of them would call me back. Nothing of the sort has happened. I wanted to give them a chance before going to the lawyers. I’ll wait another day for their call back or else I’d contact a lawyer. I have rung Mr. Dodd again and left him a stern message. Obviously, he did not answer his phone.
@D: Photoshop can do it. It does interpolations on an enlarged image and fills up the gaps itself. You can tell the pic is enlarged looking at the inscribed blog text.
@ Pooh!: Oh most definitely. I’ll contact you privately. :)
@ Mridula: Yes, I’d definitely email you. I saw how you handled the entire case. Would love to talk to you.
sue them, time to make some money :)
Roop do you tweet? The word spreads like fire there. If you know someone with a large following at twitter. Also if you decide to use Twitter use a tag for it so that all the information is searchable. Is this magazine published from India or Canada?
This may sound a bit odd, but welcome to the club.
Why dont you join us here in this mailing list http://groups.google.com/group/say-no-to-plagiarism?hl=en
and we all will do what we can to support you. Mridula can vouch for that :)
Cheers
So what does the article actually say? I had Hindustan Times steal my photo (of my wife and mother) and put it next to some article about modern conniving bahus taking advantage of mother-in-laws or something.
This is so SHOCKING!!!! what if you had never known this is what am thinking; so sick to have them taken it without your permission..Really shocking…
Am sure they are answerable to you now
Ugh! I’m seething on your behalf. I can’t read the content (Gurmukhi?) but as you say, if it describes guidelines for wives to keep happy husbands, it’s infinitely more disgusting.
And it’s painful to shell out your own good money to fight for what was rightfully yours in the first place, but if you can afford a lawyer, please do! Drag their asses to court, I guess that’s the only way they’ll realise how grave an offence it is & hopefully also prevent other publications from resorting to such theft.
Wish you all the luck :)
WTF, how can they take picture of someone without their knowledge and disburse it without consent. Be it for money or no money this was invasion of privacy and copyright infringement.
Go sue them and let them learn a lesson on not to ever copy pictures or articles in the name of free internet search! For God’s sake, can’t they take some time and money to take a picture of a bride/model.
Apart from that you do look gorgeous in that picture, but I can imagine how you must feel when they have used it inappropriately.
Sick! And its happening so often. I don’t think I am ever going to put up picture on my blog.
disgusting. Such a personal picture it is. U should definitely not take this lying down. Ask them to apologize in print.
hugs.
Hope you give them hell! My best wishes and support are with you!
Send them a mail threatening legal action. It might help to write this plagiarism story to rival newspapers/magazines. This is so infuriating, but I am sure you can take action – they can’t get away with it!
If they dont apologize, take a legal action… They have no right to use your personal picture and publish it, without your knowledge or permission.. Ridiculous such people are.. They are not even fit to be writers, leave aside being editors…
This is disgusting.
You must make a big deal of it- a public internet shaming of the “news” source is due.
sue them
if you need help contact me. my husband is an advocate. :-)
Did you file a suit against them?
This is getting too much everywhere nowadays. Not sure who all have copied my stuff without me knowing about it!