Copyright abuse - who do I contact?

[goodduck]

In my early days of paper modeling long before I joined the forum. I didn't know the free and paid models downloading sites I visited are pirate. I only found that out by reading threads like this. Every day newbie like I once was will download and purchase pirated models without knowing any better. With a thread like this continue to pop up every now and then could help shine the light on their perspective. So. threads talking about "copyright" is needed for our hobby.

[Kevin WS]

I have read some of the comments in this thread with bemusement and I must support Dave's comments here - basically that people should be free to discuss what they want, even if somewhere it has been discussed before. No harm in a fresh discussion if someone who has not been involved in prior discussions raises it afresh.

And if nothing else it highlights the issue amongst members and increases awareness for newer members.

This topic has generated 41 responses and 1,388 views (at the time this was typed) in two weeks - a rate higher than many other topics over this time - so it is also clearly of interest.

[goodduck]

About the Facebook site... A question I been pondering for some time. If a designer selling models(Gundam for example) without a license. Clearly, the designer is stealing from Bandai. So if somebody comes along and steals his/her models and releases them for free... if a theft steals from theft is still call a theft... or a liberator? :D :D :D

[airdave]

Even an argument...or fight...once in a while,
still gets the blood pumping and the mind thinking
and breeds ideas and interaction.

Sure...its easy to devolve into name calling and we should all try harder not to do that (including myself!)
but this is one of those discussions that should continue to pop up every now and then, no matter how tedious it might seem.

...
On a similar related topic, I have been trying to understand more about the impending European Union Copyright Directive.
Probably best not to start a new lengthy discussion about this (at least not here).
I am not inviting a brawl about the topic...but I know we have Euro members who may be affected by this.

I watched this video earlier today...informative, but mind boggling.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYU77Qqvy-U
DeFranco is an aggressive talker.

The more info I get, the less I understand. lol
But I actually agree with some of what the EUCD has to offer.
I like the idea of less linking and restricting what some sites can copy and repost.
I like the idea of forcing you to visit the originating site for news and other articles
but I guess the concern is that it will also block things we don't want blocked.
Its complicated.

But it also only applies to European controlled ISPs and web sites. For now.

[group b]

Kewin WS :
This topic has generated 41 responses and 1,388 views (at the time this was typed) in two weeks - a rate higher than many other topics over this time - so it is also clearly of interest.



At the same time, many authors and modelers could agree and freely downloadable models and lists of pirate sites could be presented on their websites, on their facebook profiles, shared with their friends,
Instead of 1388 readings at this forum, 13,800 or maybe 138,000 modelers and even ordinary people could learn about the problem. Instead, here is the debate, which is a laughing pirates, on a single modeling forum.
It would certainly be more interesting if someone had a job, for example, to write about Modelalice.com and add links to freely downloadable models to its individual models.
It would be more useful.

[JohnGay]

Theft, even without monetary gain, is still theft.
If a designer is creating models from someone else's Intellectual Property. I.E. Gundam from Bandai, it would be Bandai's problem to deal with as they see fit.
If someone else steals those models to "liberate" them, it is still Theft. It also puts them in the target from Bandai as well.

How the copyright owner deals with the models is their own issue.
By law, if a copyright owner does not enforce their material, there IS precedent that they 'could' lose their claims in the future.
However, that enforcement does not need to be heavy-handed. In the past, CBS had allowed Fan Films in the past. But recently came down like a ton of bricks and squashed all future Fan-Films.
Many times with such fan driven sharing, it's actually in the Original owners interests to allow fan to spread their IP increasing interest like free advertising. I.E., many people making various Star Wars Models and sharing them increases exposure to the Star Wars franchise and drives up sales of movies, and licensed products.
However, if you try to profit from the Star Wars franchise, you can be sure Disney will bring a black hole of legal trouble onto you head.

[airdave]

Originally Posted by goodduck

About the Facebook site... A question I been pondering for some time. If a designer selling models(Gundam for example) without a license. Clearly, the designer is stealing from Bandai. So if somebody comes along and steals his/her models and releases them for free... if a theft steals from theft is still call a theft... or a liberator? :D :D :D

what do you mean "selling without a license"?
buying and reselling kits, figures, models is just resale.
you have to buy them first to resell them.
...
or are you making and selling original models of gundam characters?
the models are okay, but you can only produce and sell one (built).
you can't sell multiple kits without a license from whomever owns the gundam copyrights.
Bandai is already paying the copyright owners for the rights to produce gundam products.
So, you would be stealing from both bandai and copyright holders.

And no...its not like Robin Hood! lol
Robin Hood stole from the Sheriff who was extorting money from the people.
So Robin was just returning stolen property.

[Petestein]

Originally Posted by Vermin_King

So, theft of a car is different than theft of a paper model? Sounds like situational ethics.

Without threads like this folks who are new or who had never read one of the old topics would not realize that their favorite source is pirating. They would go on their merry way in blissful ignorance.

I've been working on a circus diorama, and doing image searches took me to the work of 'A Cut Out Circus for Children' by C. Durand Chapman. It is my understanding that these designs were originally in book form. The images are all over the internet. What irks me is that not only do folks redistribute these files, they have the never to put on the pages that the image is 'copyright by ...' listing their own name or Etsy site. A slightly different flavor of piracy

Yes, it is different. You are rather ignorant on the subject. A car is not stolen through the web, or is it? Although both are thefts their consequences and way it is done are completely different. I am sure the penalties for car theft are rather different from stealing a card model. Think a little. Bye!!

[airdave]

[goodduck]

Well, airdave. I was talking about the designers selling their version of the Gundam paper models, not plastic kits. First, they stole Bandai properties and when somebody from China/Thailand stole their models throw them out for free the designers cry up and down. I just think it is funny, can't feel sorry for them.

... and about plastic Gundam kits, do you know about the case of Bandai vs Dragon Momoko? Some one said some something about 15% difference is safe, wrong! Just ask the CEO of DM.