Author Topic: Stolen Images on other account - what to do? (Read 4254 times)

MPfoto71 · « **on:** July 17, 2023, 12:25 »

Hello Adobe, Hello Forum,

I just found a mirrored version of an image of mine on another account on AdobeStock.

Since I'm not sure where to turn, I'll try my luck here:

My original image - image index 586,900,593
- https://stock.adobe.com/de/images/a-sad-piggy-bank-with-cracks-and-a-plaster-indicates-insolvency-created-with-generative-ai-technology/586900593

The stolen image - image index 590.829.123 mirrored horizontally and scaled down from 5376px to 3000px width on another account:
- https://stock.adobe.com/de/images/a-sad-piggy-bank-with-cracks-and-a-plaster-indicates-generative-ai/590829123

Attached is a screenshot directly from my Discord midjourney channel (MPfoto71) proving my creation of the image (see below)

And another one on the same account:

My original image - image index 595.643.165
- https://stock.adobe.com/at/images/golden-spiral-digital-artwork-created-with-generative-ai-technology/595643165

The stolen image - image index 590.834.695 mirrored horizontally and scaled down from 5376px to 3072px width on another account:
- https://stock.adobe.com/de/images/golden-spiral-digital-artwork-generative-ai/590834695

Attached is another screenshot directly from my Discord midjourney channel (MPfoto71) proving my creation of the image (see below)

Just found a 3rd stolen image:

My original image - image index 597.491.021
- https://stock.adobe.com/de/stock-photo/id/597491021

The stolen image - image index 590830519 mirrored horizontally and scaled down from 5376px to 3072px width on another account:
- https://stock.adobe.com/de/stock-photo/id/590830519

Image No 4:

My original image
- https://stock.adobe.com/de/images/a-mountain-of-sweets-on-a-white-background-created-with-generative-ai-technology/592778532

The stolen image
- https://stock.adobe.com/de/images/a-mountain-of-sweets-white-background-generative-ai/590828779

I now have a few questions running through my head:

(a) Who do I have to write to in order to have this stolen image removed?

(b) If the account https://stock.adobe.com/de/contributor/211210945/paraseem is blocked, will it be blocked completely, as it is quite likely that there is more stolen material there?

(c) How can I ensure that the income generated by the stolen images goes to the original authors? Or alternatively, the income from such accounts could be donated to a good cause.

Does anyone here know how to get the stolen images offline?

Unfortunately I'm on holiday for 5 days from tomorrow morning without internet (in the wilderness) and can only continue reading here on Sunday...

Thank you,
Michael

PS: I would recommend that you also take a look to see if any of your pictures are affected - unfortunately I haven't had time to search yet, but I will of course do so.

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #1 on:** July 17, 2023, 13:06 »

You can contact Adobe's IP compliance group with the link in the page below:

https://helpx.adobe.com/stock/contributor/help/content-usage.html

It's pretty pathetic that this other portfolio is not content with churning out his own AI content but wants to steal someone else's, but putting the legal wrangling over copyright in AI-generated images to one side, you created content and if you're a paid subscriber to Midjourney, you own the copyright to what you created. You could then send Adobe a DMCA notice if you don't get a response just from contacting them

Good luck

MPfoto71 · « **Reply #2 on:** July 17, 2023, 13:51 »

@Jo Ann Snover:
Thanks for the links!
Unfortunately, the site https://helpx.adobe.com/stock/contributor/help/how-to-report-suspected-misuse-of-your-intellectual-property.html is not available in German.

I will contact Adobe in this matter - let's see how that works out using the DMCA page: https://www.adobe.com/de/legal/dmca.html
Hopyfully my english will do the job

Lina · « **Reply #3 on:** July 17, 2023, 14:03 »

Quote from: JustAnImage on July 17, 2023, 12:25

(c) How can I ensure that the income generated by the stolen images goes to the original authors? Or alternatively, the income from such accounts could be donated to a good cause.

Buahahaha. Sorry, I couldn't help it.

You know that agencies keep that money for themselves, right?

MPfoto71 · « **Reply #4 on:** July 17, 2023, 14:11 »

Quote from: Lina on July 17, 2023, 14:03

Quote from: JustAnImage on July 17, 2023, 12:25
(c) How can I ensure that the income generated by the stolen images goes to the original authors? Or alternatively, the income from such accounts could be donated to a good cause.
Buahahaha. Sorry, I couldn't help it. You know that agencies keep that money for themselves, right?

That's perfectly fine - I didn't feel any different when I wrote the question.

But nevertheless, I will ask.

And then we'll see if we can find out the name of the operator through a legal enquiry, so that we can do some digging.
And yes, I'm fully aware that there's not much chance of success - but if you don't poke a little at the wasps' nest, nothing will change.

And now it's time to pack my suitcase - tomorrow morning I'm going on holiday for a few days :-)

Lina · « **Reply #5 on:** July 17, 2023, 14:15 »

Quote from: JustAnImage on July 17, 2023, 14:11

Quote from: Lina on July 17, 2023, 14:03
Quote from: JustAnImage on July 17, 2023, 12:25
(c) How can I ensure that the income generated by the stolen images goes to the original authors? Or alternatively, the income from such accounts could be donated to a good cause.
Buahahaha. Sorry, I couldn't help it. You know that agencies keep that money for themselves, right?
That's perfectly fine - I didn't feel any different when I wrote the question.

But nevertheless, I will ask.

And then we'll see if we can find out the name of the operator through a legal enquiry, so that we can do some digging.
And yes, I'm fully aware that there's not much chance of success - but if you don't poke a little at the wasps' nest, nothing will change.

Yes, you don't have much chance of success, but I like your attitude.

MPfoto71 · « **Reply #6 on:** July 17, 2023, 14:21 »

Oops, double post - sorry

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #7 on:** July 17, 2023, 15:59 »

Quote from: JustAnImage on July 17, 2023, 13:51

@Jo Ann Snover:
Thanks for the links!
Unfortunately, the site https://helpx.adobe.com/stock/contributor/help/how-to-report-suspected-misuse-of-your-intellectual-property.html is not available in German.

I will contact Adobe in this matter - let's see how that works out using the DMCA page: https://www.adobe.com/de/legal/dmca.html
Hopyfully my english will do the job

You can feed the URL for any web page to Google translate and then select the language you want from the dropdown menu (top left). My Germany is next-to-non-existent so I can't tell if it's a good translation, but it's a start

https://translate.google.com/?sl=auto&tl=en&op=websites

MPfoto71 · « **Reply #8 on:** July 22, 2023, 16:21 »

Update:
I took the 4 images from the post above to Adobe for reporting via DCMA form and got a response for 2 images which reads:
"Thank you for your message. We are unable to take action on your report: The asset you allege is infringing has an earlier upload date than your asset.

Please note that generally: Copyright protection attaches upon the creation of a work, which in many cases can be inferred from the subsequent publication date. If we have overlooked the infringement that you are trying to report, please let us know. Otherwise, we will consider this case closed."

I don't always upload my images to Adobe first, but also to other sites like Dreamstime, Vecteezy (Pro), etc. and because the person obviously stole the images there before I uploaded them to Adobe, they don't see any reason to consider these images stolen here yet.

I will try to report that to Adobe and see what happens.
So far, after a good week, all the stolen images are still online.

@Mat:
In case you are reading along, I guess I need help here, because I can't accept that someone just steals all of our (and my) pictures and gets away with it :-)

Have a nice day@all,
Michael

trek · « **Reply #9 on:** July 22, 2023, 17:26 »

If you and only have the raw file... and the sequence of shots it was taken with. I would appeal and send screen shots of the raw files.

Jo Ann Snover · « **Reply #10 on:** July 22, 2023, 17:57 »

Quote from: trek on July 22, 2023, 17:26

If you and only have the raw file... and the sequence of shots it was taken with. I would appeal and send screen shots of the raw files.

These were Midjourney creations and the OP has screen shots of him creating the images - but no RAW files for this type of image

trek · « **Reply #11 on:** July 22, 2023, 18:45 »

Quote from: Jo Ann Snover on July 22, 2023, 17:57

Quote from: trek on July 22, 2023, 17:26
If you and only have the raw file... and the sequence of shots it was taken with. I would appeal and send screen shots of the raw files.

These were Midjourney creations and the OP has screen shots of him creating the images - but no RAW files for this type of image

Thanks.. I should of read the whole thread.

gnirtS · « **Reply #12 on:** July 22, 2023, 23:19 »

Quote from: JustAnImage on July 22, 2023, 16:21

"Thank you for your message. We are unable to take action on your report: The asset you allege is infringing has an earlier upload date than your asset.

I dont like that criteria at all. Its fairly normal for us to upload something onto some stock sites and then not onto another until later. Anything from bandwidth restrictions, re-keywording, review delays and so on.

An earlier upload date does not mean its definitely the original image.

Justanotherphotographer · « **Reply #13 on:** July 23, 2023, 03:31 »

Quote from: gnirtS on July 22, 2023, 23:19

Quote from: JustAnImage on July 22, 2023, 16:21
"Thank you for your message. We are unable to take action on your report: The asset you allege is infringing has an earlier upload date than your asset.

I dont like that criteria at all. Its fairly normal for us to upload something onto some stock sites and then not onto another until later. Anything from bandwidth restrictions, re-keywording, review delays and so on.

An earlier upload date does not mean its definitely the original image.

This is NUTS. Hey Adobe, some of us like to upload work to better paying sites first. Using your upload date as the criteria is insane. That's why many places you can submit DMCA forms to have a box for links to othe places they can see the work online.

When I report to Etsy I am not giving them links to my work on Etsy, but on Adobe or SS etc. Gross way of penalising artists, shouldn't be suprised after the way AS handled our work with their AI app I suppose.

MPfoto71 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 30, 2023, 11:08 »

To keep you up to date on the copyright infringement of the AI images from the initial post:

Of the 4 images I reported to Adobe's DCMA page, 1 has so far been deactivated by the "thief's" account - the copy of this image: https://stock.adobe.com/de/images/a-sad-piggy-bank-with-cracks-and-a-plaster-indicates-insolvency-created-with-generative-ai-technology/586900593

For two images I have received the message that the upload date at Adobe from the "thief's" account is before mine and therefore no action will be taken.
Thereupon, I have once again picked out conclusive screenshots (for viewing see below) from my MidJourney account and sent them as a reply to the email from Adobe.
That was 8 days ago - so far there has been no response.
What is annoying is that the picture with the door on the field is my second best selling picture.

Adobe wanted to look at the fourth image, but that is still online at the "thief"-account too.

I'm afraid I'm not going to get anywhere here and before I risk losing my Adobe account because I'm too "demanding", I think I'd better leave it like this... the "thief" account keeps selling merrily - at my expense and probably the expense of some of you too.

In future, I will upload all AI images to Adobe first and not to other sites beforehand, even though this is certainly not the best solution.
One feels quite alone with such a problem and I think a reaction time of 2 weeks should be sufficient for copyright infringements.

If anything else comes up, I will of course post it here.

Have a sunny day,
Michael

MPfoto71 · « **Reply #15 on:** July 31, 2023, 13:23 »

Today I received an answer from Adobe to my emails about the two images for which I had sent my MidJourney screenshot again.
Both images were removed by Adobe with the "Thief" account and I am very happy that it worked out after all.

And the fourth image was also correctly removed today.

All in all, a positive outcome :-)

Thanks, Michael

cobalt · « **Reply #16 on:** July 31, 2023, 13:35 »

That is good to hear, thank you for sharing.

I guess I will make sure that I always upload my ai files to Adobe first. I usually upload to both Adobe and Dreamstime on the same day. Maybe I will add a one day delay.

But at least they listen to reason if you send them screenshots.

MPfoto71 · « **Reply #17 on:** July 31, 2023, 14:26 »

Quote from: cobalt on July 31, 2023, 13:35

I guess I will make sure that I always upload my ai files to Adobe first. I usually upload to both Adobe and Dreamstime on the same day. Maybe I will add a one day delay.
But at least they listen to reason if you send them screenshots.

That is what I am doing now too - uploading today to AdobeStock, and one day later to other platforms.

And yes, good to see everything was removed and they listened to the screenshots and my arguments :-)

Now I will go and check the "thief"-account for more images stolen from my images...

Edit: The account is now gone completely too - thanks for that Adobe, very good! :-)

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Author Topic: Stolen Images on other account - what to do? (Read 4254 times)

MPfoto71

Jo Ann Snover

MPfoto71

Lina

MPfoto71

Lina

MPfoto71

Jo Ann Snover

MPfoto71

trek

Jo Ann Snover

trek

gnirtS

Justanotherphotographer

MPfoto71

MPfoto71

cobalt

MPfoto71

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