Graphics Definition

Graphics are a form of creative design. The type of graphics this website informs on are computer-generated graphics or Web Graphics. This includes Website Layout Graphics, avatar and banner graphics in online message boards and online portfolio graphics. The banners in the 'Support ACT' section are examples of web graphics.

Graphics Theft Definition

The act of stealing any form of web graphic without permission of the creator, reproducing them on another public online location and claiming them as the theif's own work.

Free Graphics

Sometimes graphics are offered for free use by anyone. This is commonly seen on websites or public message boards. A lot of the time the maker of these graphics requests the user to credit their work. It is best if you always give credit to the person who made the free graphic.

For an example of crediting on a message board, use the signature space under your post to add a line stating who made the graphic and where you got it from:

-------------------------------------------------------------------
88 x 31 Banner
Credit for the banner goes to Phantom Enigma from the ACT website.

To add this on a message board, use this code:

On a website, make a credits page to say where you got the original images from and link back to the site.

If you want to modify the graphic in some way, for example the free graphic is a layout for a website and you want to modify it to include your site's name, then you should always ask the owner of the free graphics before you do.

Stealing Locations

Common places where people steal and host graphics from are:

Any website can contain graphics. Online portfolios especially.

Remember: Just because an image is on Photobucket or deviantART etc. does not mean you can just take it without asking permission from the artist.

Theft Prevention

Identification

If you used a photo-editing program such as Photoshop, add your name/username to the graphic. Many graphic-makers choose to do this using "Pixel/Bitmap" fonts.

Use Anti-Steal Messages

If you have published your graphic on a forum, write in your post that you do not want the graphic stolen. The same goes if you uploaded the graphic on an online art website such as deviantART.

If possible, try adding different language warnings using a translator or asking someone you know to translate a message.

Disable Right-Clicking

If you host an art gallery on a website, you can add the following code to the page to stop people from right-clicking the mouse and saving images.

Follow this free tutorial and don't forget to keep the credits intact:

Lissa Explains it All - How do I disable the right click?

Tutorials On Reporting Graphics Theft

Before reporting any stolen graphic images, first try to contact the person(s) who stole them. In a lot of cases, this is more likely to get a response. If you are ignored or the person refuses to take down your graphics it is best to try submitting a report.

You will most likely need proof that the stolen graphic is yours. You can do this by:

1. Providing links to other works that have your signature on them, for comparison.
2. Include your name somewhere on the graphic. 3. If you created the graphic in Photoshop, or a similar image/photo editing software package and you still have the original file, take screenshots of it. For example, this image shows one of this site's graphics as its original Photoshop file before it was saved as a .GIF. :

Click it to expand to full size.

This is convincing proof because you can see the work in production and the layers. The more images you give them, the better because you will have more proof.

The following tutorials will tell you how to contact the thief and then how to submit a report.

Google Images Tutorial

Take the following action if you see your work in a Search engine image search and the location is not where it should be:

1. Click on the image.
2. Follow the link back to where it came from. For instance on Google, this is: "Below is the image in its original context on the page: [Link appears here]".

(If the image leads to a dead link then it means the image in its full size no longer exists in the stolen location thus, cannot be stolen from that location again anyway.)

3. If the link works, try to find a way to contact the author of the page. This is most likely by an email provided.
4. Politely email/contact the webmaster to ask of them to remove your work.

deviantART: Report Deviation Violation Tutorial

Take the following action if you see a member of deviantART has stolen and submitted your work to their own gallery:

Contact the thief:

Click on the thief's username (this is always followed by a symbol, the most common being "~".) This will take you to their main page. Under the profile tab, click on "Send a note".

If the user has not been active lately it is better to submit a report.
If the user's last activity is "Invisible" check around the page to get an idea when they were last active. For example, when did they last submit art or write a journal?

Submit a report:

1. Go to the page where the stolen deviation is being hosted.
2. Click on the Report Policy Violation link in the "Details" section undeaneath the deviation.
3. On this report form, choose "Ripped Or Stolen Artwork".
4. In the "Comments" text box, explain the situation and say you request it to be removed and submit it.

You can use and edit the following template if you are not sure what to write:

Template
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This deviation is my work and has been submitted here without my permission.

It belongs here (link of where it appears on your deviantART account/wherever it was stolen from.)

Please can it be removed from this member's gallery. Thank you for your time.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sheezy Art Tutorial

To report a stolen graphic, follow these instructions:

1. Go to the page where the stolen graphic is being hosted.
2. Look to the right where it says 'Tools' and click on 'Report'.
3. Type a description of why you are reporting it and click send.

Example template for reporting:

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I am reporting this graphic because it belongs to me. This member took it without my permission and submitted it to their account

It belongs here (link of where it was stolen from)

Please can it be removed from this member's gallery. Thank you for your time.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Photobucket Tutorial

If you find that some of your graphics work is being hosted in a Photobucket album without your permission and you wish for it to be removed, you are required to send Photobucket an email with specific information, as stated here:

http://photobucket.com/copyright

For your convenience, here is a template of an email you can use:

=========================================

One/some of my graphics images was/were stolen from me and hosted on Photobucket without my permission.

Link to the original image's location: (Link here)
Link to the stolen image's location in the album: (Link here)

Name:
Home address:
Phone number:
Email address:

I hereby state that I have a good faith belief that the disputed use of the copyrighted material is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or the law (e.g., as a fair use).

I hereby state that the information in this Notice is accurate and, under penalty of perjury, that I am the owner, or authorized to act on behalf of the owner, of the copyright or of an exclusive right under the copyright that is allegedly infringed.

5. Signed,

(Sign your name/username here.)

=========================================

Once you have finished, send it to this address:

abuse@photobucket.com

Please note: You will not be able to submit a report on behalf of someone else. If you find stolen images on Photobucket, you must find the original location and artist and contact them first. Only they can get the images removed.

Putfile Tutorial

How To Write A Proper DMCA Notice

Follow the instructions on this page:

http://www.putfile.com/dmca.php#writing_notice

Reporting A Video

In order to report a video which contains the image(s) of a stolen graphic(s), you must be a member of Put-File. Registration is free.

On the page of the video, press on the 'Report Media' link under the video and follow the instructions from there.

If no action has been taken after a reasonable time e.g one week, then you could join the forums and either send a private message to one of the staff or start a topic on the matter.

Reporting An Image

Pictures have no report link like with videos however you can leave comments underneath the image. Leave one explaining the situation.
If this does not get the image removed, consider contacting the person who uploaded it. To do this:

Click on the link to their home page, which will just be their username underlined.
On this page, to contact the user, look for where it says:

'Contacting (name of user)

Send Message'

And press the Send Message link.

How You Can Help

Link To Us

You can use one of the free banners provided at the end of this page and use them in places to link back to this website.

Example code to use the micro bar in a message board:

Example code to use the Ad Banner on a website/blog:

However, please upload these images to your own host first, the Uniform Resource Locators above are simply for example purposes.

Spread The Word

Tell people about this website. Friends, family, whoever. We appreciate anyone who helps advertise and in turn every visitor we get.

Direct Stealers Here

If you see any cases of stolen art and it is easy to contact the thief, you can inform them what they are doing is wrong and link them to this site. If they have any sense, a trip to this site will be a worthwhile experience for them.
Example: You see a graphic in an online gallery site that someone posted on a graphics-rating forum. In this case, you can tell them it belongs to the original artist by using the comments system. You can also link them here if they do not understand what they are doing.

Submit Your Own Content

If you see anything you believe could be improved or added to this page please let us know, or feel free to write/re-write some of the content.

To submit content or give us your general opinion, please fill out the following form and we will consider adding it to the site:

http://www.freewebs.com/act-now/form.htm

We appreciate all useful additions received.

Warehousing

To 'Warehouse' graphics means stealing large quanties of graphic image files and hosting them online publicly. The people that do this usually host the stolen images in places such as Photobucket, Putfile and sometimes their own website hosts.

Graphics Ripping

Ripping can be another meaning of stealing but it can also mean any form of defacing or modifying stolen graphics.

Examples:

1. Erasing the maker's name on the graphic and replacing it with another name.
2. Cutting parts of the graphic out and adding other images to them.
3. Using a Photo editing program such as Photoshop to add other elements like stock images to the stolen graphic.

Website Graphics Ripping

Ripping website graphics involves taking the graphics that are on the site, or form the site as part of the layout and using them on another site without permission. For example, a thief taking the folder-style layout on this website and uploading it on their website.

Sometimes they will edit the graphics by taking off the name, so a thief could take away the ACT logo and replace it with theirs. This still counts as stealing.

Support ACT

Full Ad Banner (486 x 60 px):
88 x 31 Banner

Micro Bar (88 x 31 px):
486 x 60 Banner

Please upload these to your own hosts before using them. Suggested hosts:

Photobucket: http://photobucket.com/
Image Shack: http://imageshack.us/
All ideas, ACT, Layout and Design Copyright © 2006-2007 Phantom Enigma and Kai-V.
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