So there's a lot of talk about Pinterest and copyright lately. Many of you have asked me what I think about this issue, so I'm going to tell you what I've learned and what I have decided to do (at this point anyway). Before I start, though, I just want to say I'm not a lawyer and none of this is meant to be legal advice.
Alright, carrying on…
There are those who have deleted their Pinterest accounts entirely:
- A Lawyer Who Is Also A Photographer Just Deleted All Her Pinterest Boards Out Of Fear (sfgate.com)
- How your business could get sued for using Pinterest (bizjournals.com)
Others aren't so quick to abandon Pinterest but speak caution and suggest ways to use it legally:
- Avoiding Copyright Pitfalls on Pinterest (savingforsomeday.com – Sara is also a lawyer)
- A Word of Caution for Pinterest Users (plagiarismtoday.com)
- Is Pinterest a Have for Copyright Violations? (greekgeek.hubpages.com)
- Pinterest is Changing How I Blog (livinglocurto.com)
Some admit it's hard to know how to proceed given that Pinterest is new territory:
The big question everyone wants to know is “Is Pinterest legal?” The short answer is that no one knows. There’s never truly been a service like Pinterest and the relevant court cases don’t provide a great deal of direct guidance.
~The Great Pinterest Divide: To Opt Out or Not (plagiarismtoday.com)
Some point out ways Pinterest might need to make some changes to their policies, and quick:
I took a look at Pinterest’s DMCA Policy and related terms and found lots of things they need to fix immediately.
~ Changes Needed to Pinterest’s DMCA Policy (dmcahandbook.com), Connie J. Mableson, PLLC
Update: Here's a two-part post written by Katherine Tyrrell about her experience as an artist who had images pinned without permission, and how Pinterest responded by promptly. (Hat tip to Jana for the link.)
So, what's a blogger to do?
This could change at any time and each blogger needs to make their own decision, but for the time being, here's what I'm doing:
- I'm not deleting my Pinterest account. For me, I don't think it's necessary at this point. Even if I end up deleting all my boards and all my pins, I can still pin my own stuff and I could ask permission from someone else if I really wanted to pin their stuff. So, I'm staying in for now.
- I have deleted several boards already and am culling through my individual pins. The boards I deleted are the ones that are photography-based, such as photos of travel destinations and amazing photographs of wildlife or nature, etc. Simply put, anything that doesn't link back to a post with more content and is just a pretty picture, I'm steering clear of.
- Going forward, I'm only pinning from sites that have the "Pin It" button. This will be the tangible measure I'll use to decide whether or not I pin something. As a blogger, frankly, I'm all for pinning. I also know many others who feel the same way. I realize that the presence of "Pin It" button does not make me immune to legal action (if a blogger decided to go that route), however, it seems reasonable that if someone adds the "Pin It" button to their posts, they are probably OK with me pinning it.
- I'm repinning a lot less. Previously, if I saw something interesting on Pinterest, I'd just automatically repin it without a second thought. Now, as mentioned in The Ultimate List of Pinterest Tips, I'm checking each pin to make sure I'm pinning directly from the original source. Many times this results in a brand new pin and not just a repin because the first pin wasn't ideal.
- I'm (still) not using Pinterest's embed feature. Unless you are embedding your own image (like my own below), or an image you have permission to share, I'm hard-pressed to find a good reason to ever use the embed feature. Why? Well, just because an image is online does not mean it's free to use to make my blog look good. Also, if someone clicks on that image, it links back to Pinterest, not the original source.
- I'm (really) adding my full URL to all images I create. I don't add my own images here very often, but whenever I do, you'll see my full URL. (Does anyone else think it's hilarious that I totally forgot to do that when I made the image for my Ultimate List of Pinterest Tips image? I know. I am awesome. {{smacks head}})
- I'm going for the "chips and salsa" technique instead of the "whole enchilada" technique. That's just a cute way of saying, when I pin, my goal will be to give a small hint of what someone will find if they click through. I will aim to make my pinned images and descriptions pique interest, not explain the whole thing. So, someone will have to click through to find the recipe, see the tutorial, get the directions, etc.
- I'm reserving the right to change my mind. This issue is not going away soon and I'll keep my eyes and ears open. I expect there will be changes so I'll react accordingly. But for now, this is where I land.
Pin It
If you want to see more, check out The Ultimate List of Pinterest Tips wherein I covered more best practices for pinning.
Where do you land on the subject?
Yes! This is what I'm thinking as well. I just put this on my blog Facebook page – and you said it so very well, I will direct all others to you!
Thanks friend!
Thanks Amy! Excellent advice as always. I think I'm with you in moving forward cautiously. I just love having all these great ideas in one place. It's hard to delete everything. At the same time, I'm going to go through all my pins and make sure I don't have any that don't link back. Thanks for the tips!
I'm so glad you addressed this. Thanks for your thoughts. Sometimes it's all so confusing, and I truly appreciate hearing your voice on this topic.
Thanks, Deidra.
(I'm with you, it is confusing!)
I am wavering back and forth and back again. I am worried about protecting my own copyright, as I blog about my original creation and puppets that I have personally created. I don't want everything to get out of control. I have started watermarking my photos with my full url, but I know I need to go back and do the others that I pinned before I realized I should watermark them.
Great advise. I don't think you can go wrong if you are pinning from an original source and if there is a pin it button what's to question? I myself, mostly pin from blogs, diy's and tutorials, not a problem.
I read the lawyers who deleted her Pinterest account the other day and it had me worried about what I share on Pinterest. Your advice is very much in line with what I've been thinking. I definitely don't want to delete my Pinterest account as I'm finding that more people are sharing and liking my blog posts when I pin them on there than on any other social media.
I am very glad you posted about all this. I read a post earlier today and then had to run out the door and my mind was running all day about this topic! I really liked your rational approach and flexibility…especially with the idea of if someone has a "pin it" button the most likely are okay with you pinning. Thanks for your time to write this post. Now I'm off to pin it!
Thanks Mandy! My mind was running all day about this topic too!
Pinterest has a long way to go to get around copyright issues, especially from stock artists and those whose work is licensed by bloggers for personal use. But these personal guidelines are nearly identical to a post I have in draft. You said everything so eloquently, it might be easier to send people here than tweak and publish my post. Well said!
I consider myself pretty pin-friendly. I have a pin it button to encourage sharing. I appreciate the pins and repins. I rather they were thumbnails only, and not full web images. I do mind the embedding. And you can't allow pins but disallow embedding, at this time, so I'm cautiously optimistic. But I'm a professional photographer for a living, so images *are* my livelihood, not just recreational activity for me.
When's the heat going to come down on Tumblr?! That place is a cesspool of illegal activity.
Great, thoughtful post!
Thanks, Darcy! I'm so glad to hear your perspective as a photographer. Glad to know I'm trackin' with you! And yeah, I've often thought the same about Tumblr!
Ah, tumblr! I was just headed over here to see if there was a post explaining the legal-ness of that as well. I'm guessing the same ideas apply, and I'd rather credit people for their work anyways. Thanks for the post!
These are awesome tips. I'm starting to just pin images that have a PIN IT button and luckily I don't usually pin photography stuff…but I do pin graphic design images that I may have to take off.
I am always so unspeakably grateful for you, Amy. You are a gracious friend, Amy, and I give thanks for you over and over again — thank you for all the ways you have blessed — and continue to.
Cheering you on, friend!
All's grace,
Ann
Thank you, Ann, and the feeling is so mutual. We'll cheer together! For His glory.
I am officially the Last To Know Anything. I had no idea about the lawyer and pinterest or ever thought it could be much of a problem, except for not pinning from the original source (which I always try to do!). Hmmm.
I do think having your blog url or name on images you post is important, for more reasons than just pinterest.
I hope it doesn't have to shut down though, I love getting funny pictures, party ideas, etc and being able to organize them.
Thanks for your advice. I just set up an account on pinterest yesterday and had used your suggestions from your previous pinterest post. I was surprised to see that content form my blog was already on pinterest. But, I am pleased to say all of what I found linked back to my blog. I don't have much on my boards yet, but the guidelines posted in this article are going to help me a lot in deciding what to pin and what not to, as well as how to better use the pin it plugin you suggested. I am already smacking my own head for writing a bit too much detail on a few things I pinned from my blog today. From now on I think I am going to give myself a 3 sentences or less rule for descriptions, which is going to be hard for me! I am very wordy!
You are cracking me up, Victoria. Don't worry, I've done the same thing (fellow wordy-type here too).
I was able to redo some of those pins and cut them all down to 1 to 2 sentences. I cannot believe the traffic those pins did for my blog, it is amazing. It leaves me to wonder what I could do if I improved my photography skills. I am kind of envious though that the pin that seems to be bringing in the most people was actually an idea of my husband's and not mine! hmmm… perhaps he should write my blog!
yeah , when our adoption homestudy was complete and I read it. She called me "conversant" Ha ha! Thank you for this. I never really worried about it and have made sure it links back to the original owner. I have right click disabled on my blog as its mostly about our little one. All of this really makes my head spin.
I always click on a pin first to see if it is a link ,if not what's the point in pinning it ? That's what I use pinterest for. That way I don't need to bookmark it on my computer. That is what I thought it was for ,so everyone talking about all this legal mumbo jumbo is rather confusing.
My thoughts exactly Lisa! I'm not trying to steal or claim as my own others creations or works by any means. Simply found Pinterest as a virtual hoarding (as the sign says) for ideas, likes, etc. Guess don't see why any different from printing or cutting from sources to create my own inspiration board or book as far as copyright infingement. Though I'm sure someone is exploiting ..as there is always one bad apple : (
THANKS Amy for insights & words of caution!
I'm really glad you brought this up because I've been wondering since pinterest showed up what the heck they were going to do about copyright laws. I hadn't thought about using the embeded feature but I totally get it now. I think I'll have to take a look at my boards and start weeding out the ones with no site attached to them.
Thank you Amy for this post! I needed to read it because I was doing some things wrong
Ugh!
I was using the embed button. I loved being able to use some of the fashion outfits in my posts. I won't be doing it anymore.
Thanks for doing all the background work for us bloggers!
Blessings,
Cyndi
So my pictures I have taken on vacation should not be up there? Guess I will just delete my pinterest account.
Oh, you can definitely leave your own photos from vacation, Anne! It's just that I deleted my boards that had pins of photos that didn't belong to me. I didn't want to infringe on their copyright and use their images without permission. I'm sorry that wasn't clear.
I guess I'm just getting kind of aggravated w/Pinterest. Why aren't they standing up and saying what is the best protocol and/or fixing this?
Also, if we weren't bloggers would there even be this conversation? Why can't Pinterest just be a visual bookmarking site? I think if the embed feature was gone, the whole issue would be less problematic.
I kinda feel like just waiting it out and see what happens in the next few months. Everything changes so quickly online, surely this will firm up, too?
*shrugs* Maybe I'm just being grumpy.
Thank you again, Amy for the always fabulous advice!
a
Yes, I think it will definitely become more clear as time goes by, and I suspect we'll all settle into a rhythm that we're generally OK with.
I keep telling myself this is to be expected, you know, things like this happen when we're all on the cutting edge of technology.
What can we say, we bloggers nearly rule the world. LOL OK, maybe not, but still, one of y'all should run for president or something. Anyway, I digress… 
I am in favor of private boards. That would be great!!
That's IT! It's because bloggers rule the world!
I think I need a tshirt of that!
a
You said, "Going forward, I'm only pinning from sites that have the "Pin It" button. "
This is a good litmus test for whether people want things shared from their site. Lots and lots of sites have added this.
I do think PInterest needs to address some of the wacky-ness in their terms of service. Or I need to address it by using my feet. I'm keeping my toe in the water for now.
I added the .com to my watermark last night. I have had my images watermarked for a few years now, but realized that even with that, if someone doesn't look me up on Google, they don't actually know where the image came from. I like Pinterest and think that it can be very useful for bloggers! I did add the Pin It button to my site and did not embed my pins in my sidebar like I read can be done. I get quite a bit of traffic from posts pinned on Pinterest. My thought right now though, is what about when I use images from Pixosphere or SXC? They aren't watermarked, although I always add the photo credit in the caption area, I don't know if it will show up in a pin.
Yes, good question, Dawn. I've pondered the same thing. It gets tricky. So, if I write a post and include an image from Flickr or Pixosphere or SXC like you said and it gets pinned (no, as far as I know Pinterest doesn't capture the caption), then what? Tricky indeed. Still have not figured this out, but have used outside images a lot less recently partly for this reason.
Great post. A photo of my wine box garden went viral on Pinterest. Even the Pinterest staff blog featured my photo (I wasn't watermarking at the time). I waver between being flattered and being frustrated. Many bloggers have since posted the photo on their blogs with no link or credit to me. LOTS of my blog friends (including designers who should know better) post images they've found on Pinterest and simply say, "via Pinterest" as the source. So not acceptable in my book. Pinterest isn't a source.
Even if you remove the embed feature, people will find a way to post the picture in their blogs. Honestly, blogs filled with recycled Pinterest photos are BORING! Just my opinion! One way to tackle it would be for Pinterest to show a thumbprint size image that requires you to click on the original source to see the full size image.
Way to get me thinking on my first visit to your blog…and so late at night!
Blessings!
Linsey
I'm with you, Lisa. Pinterest is the best way to "bookmark" stuff I want to revisit. I am a visual person so I can see an image and immediately remember where that site was and what I wanted to look up. Most of my pinterest boards are stuff that I want to look at later to actually try myself. I'm actually frustrated when I repin an image, go to look at it later and find it goes to nowhere. My own fault, I suppose, for not checking before pinning. That will be the habit I change!
I think it is now essential, that anything you produce, you watermark. It's crazy to think that people aren't using photos that you post online. It's just too easy.
Frankly, I find Tumblr more troubling than Pinterest. At least Pinerest links to a source whereas Tumblr users find a photo and post it, most often without attribution to the photographer /artist/ designer/ origin.
I'm one of those compulsive people who clicks through on Pinterest photos and links to be sure that it is linked correctly to the source. I make sure to mention the source in my pin especially if I'm repinning it from someone else. In some cases, I've managed to hunt down the source and I'll put that info in my (re)pin.
I will now go through my "pretty" pictures that I've pinned and will delete those that have no attribution/permission. I think your idea of pinning from sites that have a "Pin It" button is a good idea.
One question, there was a Biz Journal article that stated that Pinterest claims ownership in perpetuity of all pinned images. Is this false? I sure hope so. However, because of that article, I know of a few bloggers and photographers who have deleted their boards and their Pinterest accounts.
Thank you, Amy, for such a thoughtful article. I pinned it, using your button, to my Blogs, Pinterest, Social Media info board.
One thing–I don't understand what "embedding" means. Some of you have mentioned a Pinterest embedding function. Thanks!
Embedding is when you basically paste a snippet of code directly into your site and it pulls the image directly from Pinterest right into your post.
Thanks, Amy!
Linking to a website or attribution does not excuse copyright infringement.
You are still infringing copyright if you don't have the permission of the copyright holder to pin the image and publish it on another site. Only the copyright holder can determine WHERE an image is published.
Hi Amy!
It is all a little confusing and overwhelming.
A few of us bloggers have hosted a weekly pinterest feature where we do use the "embed" feature in order to feature the Pinner for the week. Are you saying this is not a good idea? And what about Tweeting and posting to Facebook from that pin? Is doing that the same thing as embedding? For years I have been "pinning" things I have found by adding them to bookmarks and I also had a large file that I kept on my computer with all of the interesting things I found and wanted to remember. Up until recently I guess I always looked at Pinterest as the same thing I had already been doing privately. I think I will slowly start weeding through my pins and deleting them one at a time as I go back to my "private" pinning.
Bookmarks don't involve republishing the image and consequently infringing the copyright if you don't have a licence to do so.
That's the issue which has got artists and photographers fired up.
Thanks for putting this out there! Very helpful!
I'm still kind of on the fence about it. It's such a HUGE source of traffic that it's hard to walk away from it entirely. I'm hoping that Pinterest will revamp some of their rules in response to the public outcry. Just goes to show you that you should always read the fine print! Lesson learned on that one…
Amy, thank you so much for providing this information in such a clear, user-friendly manner! I have been trying to wade through all the posts & opinions and determine how to move forward with Pinterest personally. This post is so helpful! At this point, I'm not deleting my account entirely, but like you, I am changing the way I pin (and what I pin).
I'm with Carole on this…tumblr is considerably more troubling. On tumblr, you very very rarely find any source given…just one image after another. There is no link back. At least on pinterest, the vast majority of the time you will find a link back to the source. Another problem I'm having is how everyone seems to be attacking pinterest over this. However, pinterest is just the latest in a long line of sites that do things like this…as I mentioned, there's tumblr. There's also imgfave, 9gag…hey even facebook. And finding the original source for THOSE images is near impossible. Yes, I've tried on nearly everything I've found on those sites. And those fun memes everyone pins, repins, shares on facebook, etc? Those are all copyrighted images. I'm pretty sure Warner Bros did not give permission to use Willy Wonka for an internet meme, nor did Gene Wilder give permission to use his likeness for some cheap laughs. I'm not saying that because "everyone else" is doing it, that it's then ok for pinterest. Just saying that this is not a new concept and it's not quite fair to peg pinterest as the "bad guy." Should also point out that I do not see this post as doing just that…in fact it's the most fair look at it and presents the best suggestions I've seen. Most of the articles/blog posts on this issue have gone to the point where I feel they are treating pinterest as ridiculously as they feel they are being treated. Basically, for me (especially as I, too, am a blogger), it comes down to this: consistency. As long as you aren't hitting "share" on facebook, if you're not using/viewing tumblr sites, imgfave, 9gag (and the like)…or even YOUTUBE (the biggest copyright culprit)…then I can respect a person's decision to look down on pinterest. But if there is no consistency…where one badmouths the copyright issues on that site but then willingly enjoys all the others…then I'm just not going to listen to what is being said.
But again, I must stress that this is the best post I've seen on this issue. It's SO nice to see someone who discusses reasonable measures to avoid copyright issues, instead of going to the extreme by deleting the entire account and telling others to do the same. Kudos to you on that!!
Just read another good article on the topic written for artists: http://www.artbizblog.com/2012/03/pinterest-problem.html
Thanks for another resource, Angela!
Hi Amy – I've been wondering about this too and even got somewhat criticized for sharing my Pinterest concerns w/ other bloggers.
Can you tell me what you mean about I'm (really) adding my full URL to all images I create.
I don't follow (Pinterest pun intended)
.
I may just go an pin my own stuff only. Shamelessly.
I've had a few readers ask for it anyway.
I was wondering the same thing about the full URL.
Oh, the URL statement…
What I meant by that is that I recommend putting your full URL on photos (like as a watermark) as opposed to just your blog name. So, for example, instead of watermarking "Blogging With Amy" I would use "BloggingWithAmy.com" instead. The reason I recommend that is because sometimes your blog title might not be the same as your URL so if someone wanted to find you, they'll know exactly where to find you online.
I hope that makes sense!
I hardly ever pin anything myself, but I'm really just fine with other people pinning my stuff. Sure, someone might pin without crediting me properly, but the advantages outweigh the risks.
I deleted my boards, but keeping my likes. If you want to pin your own things, consider uploading a smaller image rather than letting it take the full size image from your blog. I strongly advise NOT to use the embed feature from their site. It's not a legitimate photo source site for blogging. It's also not ethical at all. Their terms are sly and they refuse to take legal responsibility if your photos end up on their site, yet THEY are OFFERING an embed code for people to use your pictures without your permission. That's like letting a thief steal all your stuff and store it in a warehouse where all the other thieves can come take what they want while the warehouse owning thief profits from your stuff and him not taking legal responsibility for it. How is that right?
I have to say I agree with Mary on many points; there are sites that are much more troubling to me than Pinterest but the issue has been brought to the forefront by the amazing growth and popularity of this particular one.
I'm a web developer and a food blogger so the issue is especially pertinent but I also think there is a bit of 'the sky is falling' mentality going on lately. As with anything new there are growing pains but I have seen the people at Pinterest respond to other aspects of how the site operates and in that feel there is hope that more change will be coming.
I love the utility of having a visual index for the things I love and I can not deny; the traffic I get from Pinterest is pretty amazing. I spend a lot of time on my photographs and yes, I've seen some use that is far from perfect but I'm pretty laissez faire about the issue; When I started putting images into blog posts I knew before I published the first one that people would be copying them and using them without my permission; it is simply the way of the internet world!
I do hope the folks at Pinterest continue to listen to users and continue to makes changes to their Terms of Use. In the meantime some additional cautions regarding how and who we pin seems to make the most sense.
Thank you for this helpful post! As always, you are right on time with your topics! Even though I'm a newbie at Pinterest I often wondered about the right to re-share and re-pin. I'm going to follow your advise and I will also share this on my blog to help others.
Right now I feel pretty much the same way. I'm not ready to give it up just yet, but I think your suggestions are wise: pin your own stuff, or people who obviously want it pinned; don't just randomly repin stuff without checking the source; basically just proceed with caution. But yikes, the one about culling through old pins…yup, I guess I need to do that, but not looking forward to taking the time to do so!
I honestly hadn't thought too much about these things, but you bring up good points. I think I have used the embed feature a couple times – I'm off to edit those posts. As a blogger, I love pinterest! I love it when people pin my images. It's a huge source of traffic for me. I realize that sometimes people will probably pin my images without proper credit (most average users just don't understand). I've also seen my recipe pictures pinned with the entire recipe below the pin. Honestly, though, the advantages far outweigh the benefits (at least for me). If I get 400 visits from one picture and 40 "bad" pins without a linkback or with the whole recipe on the pin, I still think I come out way ahead than not having Pinterest at all.
I like your idea to pin things from sites where user have a Pin button. It would stand to reason that they want their stuff pinned.
I agree with other comments about tumblr. I really don't exactly "get" tumblr and haven't spent much time on there, but it looks like sort of a cross between pinterest and a blog in that you can just repost someone else's post. All that to say, the only reason I even visited tumblr was because one day it was a huge source of traffic on my blog and I wanted to see what it was all about. (Someone posted a picture of my recipe with a link back to my blog. They found it from Pinterest.) I guess, however, if someone posted the picture without the link back, I would really have a way of knowing.
"…Also, if someone clicks on that image, it links back to Pinterest, not the original source."
I always link to the original source when I pin a pinterest image on my blog. And the image itself goes to pinterest, but on pinterest it still has the original source. I know some people edit the original source.
When it comes down to it, we can still pin if it has the original source. I don't see anything wrong using it as a blogger if it has the original source.
Hi Amy,
I am checking my repins to see if I am linking to the original source. So, if it says "Uploaded by User" does that mean it does not link to original source?
If it reads "Uploaded by User," it means that the original pin was uploaded by the person from their computer or phone. That person is the source but you don't have a url.
Yes, "uploaded by user" means that person is the source, but not necessarily that they are the ORIGINAL source. It is easy to upload photos to our computer that are copyrighted by somebody else.
You are absolutely correct, Chiwah.
I did much of what you did. This teacher created a graphic for you to place on your blog that says that you are a blog that doesn't mind being pinned. Check it out here. http://corkboardconnections.blogspot.com/2012/02/do-you-have-permission-to-pin.html
This was so useful. Thank you. I have a Pinterest account, but it is very new to me, and I'm not even sure how to use it to promote my site, other than include a Pin-it button in my share bar. I wasn't sure if I could create a separate business Pinterest account for my blog, in the same way I have a personal Facebook account and a business account for my blog. I never thought of Pinning my own posts to my personal Pinterest account. It looks like you may have started a Pinterest series that I will check out.
I wonder how many of the comments above found their way to you via pinterest?? I know mine did. I don't understand how Pinterest is any different to web surfing to find pictures and inspirations. It just makes it quicker. Anything posted online would seem to me to be available for people to use as they wish. My tiny blog has had over 7000 visits just from one pin I put up. I'm kicking myself that I didn't understand the power of pinterest and had nothing to sell from my blog!! I'm happy for the extra traffic and I'll try work out a way of turning the traffic into something more than just traffic.
I'm very confused by the legalities of things. I think Pinterest is a great idea and would love to get more traffic for my blog through sharing. I just don't quite understand why the site itself doesn't have a super clear TOU that says "pin those things that have a source" or some such language. It would make it a lot easier.
Thank you for helping me wrap my head around this…
I hope that this is just teething issues with a site that has grown very fast, and is very new, I just wish pinterest would communicate a little more about what they might be able to do to make this work better for all.
I also wonder why we are not asking the same kinds of questions about sites like 'we heart it' and some of the tumblr blogs … is it just that pinterest is more popular?
Tonight I found a Pinterest account and website that presents itself as: "WhatToPin.com helps Pinterest users find fresh, unique, and interesting images. We're constantly searching thousands of Flickr, Tumblr, WordPress and other blogs to find the latest pictures to pin."
I checked the web site and they do NOT provide a source for the images that they have posted to their site and to Pinterest.
Their Pinterest account: http://pinterest.com/WhatToPin/
Their web site: http://www.whattopin.com/
all this is even more confusing…
and still upsetting that people sue anybody and everybody sometimes for no reason… and just because they "found a loophole"….
wow this is really good information thanks for sharing
Maybe I'm just being WAY to naive here, but isn't this created so that we have a visual bookmark of things we like? Shouldn't it just be that simple? All the legal-language deters from the FUN of having a virtual bulletin board.
Side note here: I think it's shameful that people are SO worried about getting sued by someone, that they FEAR something so innocent as posting and sharing their favorite things. Really? how selfish and mean spirited can some people get? Way too many rules, way too much interference, way too much!! I'd like to say Stop the Insanity! (goodness, that's someone's trademark too, right?) Can we say or do anything anymore without someone looking over our shoulders and waiting to sue us or harm us in some way?
Tired in Texas!
Maybe I'll just go back to reading REAL books at the library and tearing out favorite pages from the magazines and journals and 'pinning' those all over my bulletin board or bound in notebooks.
I guess I'm being way naive here too. I heard someone use the example of how Annie Leibovitz must feel about Pinterest, assuming she must be outraged. I have no idea how she must feel, but the reality is, her images are EVERYWHERE on the internet, and oftentimes not credited.
Yet somehow, she manages to be one of the most successful photographers in the world.
I know alot of these discussions are rooted out of an insecure desire for absolute recognition. (If I see something, and I like it, but I don't know where it comes from, I can't find the author. The flip side would be that I would never have seen that inspiring thing at all. And in the end, the author still wouldn't get recognition.)
Once we wipe away all of the comments stemming from that place if insecurity, there is the issue of copyright. At its core, copyright was invented so that one person could not make a profit off of someone else's creative/intellectual property.
Without splitting hairs, however, people are not using Pinterest to make money. What I mean is, virtually no one using Pinterest is claiming someone else's intellectual property as their own with every pin.
There is a place for Pinterest etiquette. Agreed. Pintiquette, if you will. (Yes, I did come up with that. No, I don't need credit for it if you use the term. *rools eyes*)
One last thing in an ideal pinning world: embedding leads to the pin. And the pin leads to the source. What's the big deal with embedding?
I have no problem with Pinterest whatsoever but I think the reason some people are up in arms is that there is a lot of pinning going on from websites/blogs that have an image posted that is not their own and may or may not have source info (aka does not lead back to source) and I have personally seen images I know came from let's say Country Living dot com yet say uploaded by user. Again in this case the source is lost because someone downloaded the image to their computer or took a picture of a magazine page and loaded it themselves without giving credit to where it came from. That's what my big issue with Tumblr is because I can almost NEVER get back to an actual source link. If these two cases were eradicated I don't think you would have so many people upset except the people who HAVE to have credit for everything and don't want anyone getting ahead using their work. Some people do make money through pinning, others gain a following and traffic to their blog/website because of their awesome pinning. I think it's ridiculous that people care but I can see how there would be "those" people up in arms that someone is getting ahead by taking the time to compile other people's awesome content….especially if they aren't sourcing correctly and the person who created the content is not at the very least getting a boost in traffic in return.
Good point about getting back to the original source, Jessica. I find that frustrating too. I always check a pin to make sure it goes back to the original source before repinning. If there's something I really like, but can't find the original course, I'll just like it instead of repinning. Thanks, Jessica!
I like your points! I also wrote an article called, "Pinterest: Don't Pin Me Bro" because of my disagreement that Pinterest is in any violation of copyright. I may be alone in this belief but I tend to think against the grain. Thank you for your insights.
I just don't get this, I use Pinterest as a way to categorize all the thinks I love/want to do/ want to buy/ wishlists/ideas I see on the internet. I always make sure I pin from sites directly so that anyone who sees my pin knows where it came from.
If people are putting things on the internet than it is open to sharing with others, pinterest is a way to share with others things you think are cool. I really don't get the copyright infringement in sharing a funny comic on a public website or a tutorial on an open to the public blog.
Amy,
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts! I'm relatively new to the blogging world and am trying to learn the right protocol for everything. It seemed so strange and legally questionable to me to post someone else's photo on my blog with just a reference to Pinterest — so I haven't done it. On Pinterest, I have followed the general rule of making sure anything I've pinned is the direct link to the original source. I too have found that frequently the pin on Pinterest isn't the original blog post and that sometimes I find I have to go through 3 or 4 blogs to get to the original. It will be interesting to see how all of this settles it over the longterm…
Great post, Amy! I have a Pinterest account but barely use it and with all the hubbub lately was considering deleting it. I guess I'll hold onto it a while longer. I may even use it some day!
Too many fun online activities and too little time!
Thanks for referencing my two-part blog post. It's worth highlighting that this was a site-wide takedown notice for six separate domains and not just filling in a DMCA form!
I think your suggestions of ways to move forward are sensible – except you should be aware that many of the social media sites strip out all meta data despite the fact that it's illegal to remove copyright information from an image file.
The biggest problem continues to be the individual who somehow thinks that all images they see are in the public domain and therefore free and consequently they can use them as they see fit.
They are so wrong.
They are also the people who will start receiving invoices for the licence they forgot to pay for at some point down the line. I'm absolutely convinced that the only way artists and photographers will persuade people that it is not right to take without asking and getting permission is to go for that age old answer of hitting them where it really hurts – in the pocket.
BTW – you've been splogged! See http://bentonblackwell.typepad.com/blog/2012/03/pinterest-and-copyright-what-im-doing.html
I think I agree with your decisions regarding Pinterest and believe I will be doing the same.
I have 2 Etsy shops and they have added a Pin It button to all shops.I wonder if there is an opt out.As an artist I don't mind being shared as long as it is links back to my shop.
I do not understand the concern. How is this activity any different than saving a scrapabook of magazine and newspaper article. If one blogs is that not an action that says look here and enjoy. Enjoying may mean saving. I understand if one calls something their own or tries to sell a photo which is not his own to sell but Pinterest is my scrapbook of interesting things seen online. I think some protesteth too much. Why do people have to get all legal over some simple pleasures. The world is pretty much sucking because of all this "i'll sue you" crap. Another example of "why can't we all just get along"! Pinterest brought interesting things and people together to SHARE. Go home lawyers and get a life.
Here's some reasons why you should be concerned.
The main reason related to the fact that pinning is not fun for some people – Pinterest is impacting on their livelihood!
1) When you used to save magazine cuttings at home you didn't broadcast them to the world. Nobody knew or saw what you were doing.
2) When you used to buy the magazine, some of the money you spent went to the photographers who had taken the photographs – for a defined purpose with a defined audience with a defined size. When you pin the same photographs to a board no money changes hands and the photographer does not get remunerated.
3) When photographers licence photographs they do so on the basis of how many people are going to see it. In very simple terms, the bigger the audience for an image, the more valuable the image and the bigger the licence fee.
4) Licences for photographs is how photographers make their living and pay their bills and put a roof over their heads and food on their table. If the licence is devalued, then the way they earn their income is also devalued. (That's why I'm very sure the photographers will start issuing invoices – at the going rate for the licence for the image. Payment – according to the terms of the Pinterest site – will be due from the person who pinned the image). If you want to take the risk and have bottomless pockets pin away!
A significant number of people who earn income from 2D visual images are very concerned that having "consumed" the image on Pinterest will mean that few viewers will then take the trouble to then visit their site. For all the ones who benefit and sell paintings as a result there will be others who lose traffic and sell fewer paintings. They're even more concerned that the copyright information is stripped out of their images by Pinterest and a number of links back to the originating site and the creator are lost along the way.
Ask yourself how many times you have visited the website of the person who created the image which you have pinned.
Finally, the reason you should be concerned is that:
(a) you have agreed that the only images you will pin to the site are your own or images you have permission – or a licence – to pin
(b) you have agreed to pay all Pinterest's legal costs (as well as your own) in the event that the copyright holder disagrees with your interpretation of your ability to pin the image
You agreed both of the above when you signed up to become a member of Pinterest.
Do take another look at Amy's guidelines – they're very sensible.
I agree with Karen. I am not using Pinterest as a way to steal anyone's images or profit from them by using them as my own. I can't even begin to count the number of websites, blogs, retailers, architects, etc. I have stumbled upon because of Pinterest. I know when I am going to build my house, for example, where I can instantly find all the great wallpaper, tile, and furniture I want to use in my home. Additionally, as more and more bloggers are making this their primary livelihoods, I think as a community bloggers should be cautious of getting too litigious or supporting others who do. I may not have even heard of your blog were it not for Pinterest-and likely many others would not have either. I believe Pinterest is a good thing for those who use it more often than not.
I am so confused! LOL. I thought PINTEREST was basically an "online" corkboard for keeping ideas. I have never saved a PIN that does not link back to the original link, nor have I ever used any pins as a monetary gain. Hmmm, Guess I will wait and see.
Yes, it is, but it's just super easy to unwittingly violate someone's copyright in the process of keeping ideas.
I shared your post, because I think many of my friends don't understand this issue. Thanks for all the info. I feel it is better to be safe than sorry. We live in such a litigious society.
Thanks, Melinda!
Thanks for publishing this…… the list of links towards the top, in particular, make a nice guide to the current scope of Pinterest thinking (it's Thinkeresting!)
I'm not on Pinterest; staying away for many reasons, which I've written about before. However, I do have a lot of hits on my blog from Pinterest after people have pinned my photos and recipes. I certainly don't like the idea of people repinning my stuff without permission, to be honest! Thanks for the tips…
This is a very helpful post on the subject, as is the commentary. I've referred to it on a LinkedIn discussion about Pinterest for business.
Meanwhile, I'm in the similar place of being more cautious about my pins, reviewing what I have listed, but not taking the more drastic step of deleting my boards, ….yet.
Pinterest seem to be fire-fighting this issue. First they release code to allow people to say "please don't steal from me" on their sites and now they are forcing pinners to input a caption and claiming "Fair Use". Jury's out on whether that's good enough….
As a photographer, a link-back or credit line doesn't pay my mortgage. I've already used DMCA to have content removed from Pinterest. It's a legal minefield and one big lawsuit from a huge stock agency like Getty Images (who go after bloggers for infringing their photographer's copyright) could bring the whole house down.
Here's my take on it as someone who makes his living from the licencing of creative work:
http://incamerastock.com/2012/03/03/pinteresting-stuff-you-should-know-about-pinterest/
All I know is that even if I wasn't a photographer I'd never want to pin anything after reading their terms & conditions!
I must admit I felt a bit weird when people started pinning photos of my son Charlie that I had taken, dressed as an Angel. Its a really cute photo but I didnt really like it when they changed my description. So basically about your personal stuff, dont publish it if you dont want it pinned. A lot of what I am pinning is inspirational stuff about famous people who are already on wikipedia and linked resources, and also links to artists works, and cooking blogs and website. I think these are leads to networking for people, and also as long as they are credited for their work and people dont take it as their own it should be ok otherwise they wouldnt have posted it in the first place.
1. Bloggers who are complaining about having their pictures pinned, etc., should not post things on the Internet that they don't want passed around. I have a blog and I realise that any info I relay is open to the public. If you are concerned about people looking at your pictures and/or pinning them, perhaps you shouldn't have posted that picture? You could also put a tag on all your pics stating your name or your website.
2. I can see where photographers might be upset. However, if they are posting their pictures online, they should take precautions that their images won't be copied/pasted, etc.
3. Like someone said up above, why can't we all just get along? And why is everyone focusing on Pinterest only? There are plenty of sites that display other peoples pics….
I agree with the last comment. Don't put things out there if you don't want them seen! Some people are so meally minded about the whole thing. They want you to look alright but they want your cash more. Some of the attitudes stink. I wouldn't buy from someone who is just about the money and the ego. You can tell. As a purchaser you buy into the whole package. The worst are often the least talented. You can't have it all ways; as a potential customer I wont't be manipulated at my own expense. You gain enough from the internet already, sometimes you have to give a little to get more back. You can tell the greedy and the selfish a mile off!
I still pin. I will continue to do so. The buck stops with pinterest as far as I'm concerned. They invite us to pin and I'm sure they have had lawyers all over it. It's not good enough covering their own backs, I'm sure they can't facilitate law breaking either. This whole think is a load of nonsense. So we are ALL going to be sued. Yeah right. Most people love being pinned but for those that don't, well I would find a request to remove a pin reasonable and do so. However, I don't reckon copyright comes into it. It is no more than favouriting something so I know where it is. I mean I haven't GOT the image have I.
What's the difference between "pinning" and "liking" something someone has linked on Facebook? That's what my pins are, things I've liked on Pinterest and will very likely follow up on by going to the link/site, which generates traffic for the site owner and likely $$ either in advertising or in real purchases. Why all the fuss, sounds to me a case of yelling fire in a crowded room, just to see what kind of attention you will get.
And I agree with the comments about posting pictures you DON'T want re-pinned, for crying out loud don't post them in the first place.
I can understand some photographers/artists whose livelihood is in their visual images, but there are plenty of techie-ways to block your image from being copied/downloaded, etc. Shame on anyone who tries to pass something off as their own when it isn't, but protect yourself as well and be sure your images are secure. You wouldn't leave the Mona Lisa on a park bench would you?
Okay. I have a question. I am NOT a blogger. Well, I have one. And the only pictures in it are MINE, taken by me in my own house or kitchen. But I also have a Pinterest page. I have never LINKED a pinterest image onto a blog or anything. Only set up collections of Pins for recipes from blogs that I want to try, free posted online sewing tutorials, decorating ideas i'd like to use from DIY bloggers. No images of witty posters, or photography of children. I make a board with links to Lego.com for my kid's christmas wish lists, complete with prices so that family could click a link to purchase stuff. But again, original links. And as someone who DESPISES links that go NO WHERE, even the things I have re-pinned and true links to original posts.
Does this cover me from our very basic understanding of the law as it is now? As I am not posting these pinterest links all over blogdom and am basically just collecting them, the same way I would a regular bookmark within firefox? Or not?
I am so confused. But they tend to make lessons out of the little people. And I can't afford anything else to go wrong in my life right now.
I am an artist with an etsy shop. Many of my photos have been pinned from there and from my blog. It doesn't bother me to see my things pinned when it sources back to me. What DOES upset me is to see my photos used in others blogs without credit – this is far more frequent. When they are on pinterest from the secondary blogger without credit is where it gets muddled and pinterest is not to blame for that. In fact, I found uncredited photos through pinterest this way!
It seems pinterest does a reasonable job at sourcing the photos that are taken directly and I appreciate the interest and business that it generates. Word has it that pinterest IS generating business and traffic, so really, what is the problem with that?
There are other sites that act as pinboards: tumblr is one. I'd be curious as to how they have handled the issues brought up. Pinterest also has a function where you can block pinning, so it looks like they are trying to address the concerns of those who prefer to keep their images on their site alone.
After you edit one of your pins it gives you an option to repin. Does this edit update the orginal pin or should you update the edited pin?
Bettie, I'm not sure I'm following. I don't think the original pin is edited (like, for example, if you originally repinned it from someone else, it won't edit their original pin). Does that answer your question?
I use pinterest as a way to keep up with the websites I visit and the ideas I find. In my profession, copyright laws are very serious. With this said, like others I automatically thought that Pinterest had this covered. However, I feel that is also our reposibility as pinners to make sure that we pin with caution. I won't be deleting my boards, but, I am going to make sure that I check my pins and edit as needed (which will take some time of course). Thanks for your article and thanks to other blogs that understand that we are on the same learning curve but want to do the right thing. Please be patient with us!!
I am just getting into Pinterest, and I appreciate all of your tips. I use a lot of photos from Flickr with Creative Commons license on my blog and provide the appropriate credit in the post where the photo is used. Is it OK to pin these photos to Pinterest? If yes, do we need to provide additional credit? When pinned, the photo source links back to the post where the picture is used, and does not link back to the Flickr webpage. I have googled this and still am unclear on what to do – and I want to make sure I do it correctly. Thank you for your help!
Great post, but it still leave some questions. May you use images from pinterest on your own website?
This is a good article, I recently began my blog and find pintrest to be a really nice tool. I will be sure to watch what I pin.
Scraper sites like http://www.picstopin.com are now harvesting images from sites like redbubble without the artists knowledge or permission and placing them on their own sites PIN IT buttons. When you pin one of theseimages, it does not lead back to the artist, but to the scraper site when is a "made for advertising" site that make money of of the traffic generated by the artist work.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts. You've made me think about how I use Pinterest myself because I was using the site as inspiration for my own blog. I'll be amending my habits. Do you mind if I link to your post in the future on my blog?
I'd be very grateful if you linked. All I ask is that you post just the link or a short excerpt with a link so people can read the post in its entirety here. It'll save both of us from getting dinged for duplicate content. Thanks!
I posted just the link with credit to your blog. Thank you for letting me share it!
Thanks so much, Julie!
Honestly I dont get it, if they people, artist, photographers want to share thier work on the internet why would they be opposed to people sharing what they love… namely they love your picture, dress, cooking, presentation etc.. its actually good advertising as well…
I would take it as a huge compliment and every artist should sign thier work so credit can be given where credit is due… I dont speak as a voyer but as an artist of art dolls and namely I am honored if someone pins one of my works up.. as something they LOVE.. our world has gone crazy…