Post by Princess on Jan 18, 2009 21:02:35 GMT -5
Anyone considering stealing images or bandwidth read this:
Copyrights
Unless you have permission to download an image from a web site, it is theft. Most people who wouldn't shoplift from a store don't think twice about stealing a web sites content. Most do it out of ignorance, but ignorance of the law, as you know, is no excuse in the eyes of the law.
Bandwidth Can Be Stolen Property Too
Never link to an image on someone else's site - it's a crime - and it's easy to get caught!
Many free graphics sites get tens of thousands of visitors each week. If 1/ 10th of the visitors that come here linked to just one graphic on my server, in just one year webmasters be paying for bandwidth used on over 100,000 sites - for people that aren't even visiting the sites!
If these sites only got ten visitors a day, that's 1,000,000 times per week the bandwidth is being stolen! You can see why sites shut down because of the high cost of popularity. People, who provide free things for everyone's enjoyment and benefit, end up paying money out of their own pocket for illegal linking. That's just not fair, to webmasters or the visitors - because illegal linking slows down the host site for the real visitors.
Just Be Kind
Graphic artists and designers do not deserve to lose their web sites because of this ever-increasing problem. Please be kind enough to allow them that give so freely to keep enjoying what we do. If not, the best graphics sites will disappear and you will have to pay for every graphic you use. No more freebies!!!
You Can Easily Be Caught!
People don't realize how easily they can be caught stealing bandwidth and images. Each time a file is called from the server, it is recorded in what is called a log file. If you link to a graphic on someone else's server, it records the web site that the file is called from, so if you link illegally to someone else's files, each time your page is accessed by anyone, that is recorded.
You may think if you signed up with a free host you can get away with it. Perhaps you used a fictitious name and address when you signed up, and even used a free email account. All that doesn't matter.
Every time you create, modify or add to a free web site, or just send an email from your computer or a free account, your IP address is logged. Your IP address can easily be tracked to your ISP, who has logs of which account has used which IP address and on what dates and times. You are never completely anonymous on the Internet. These are the same files the FBI uses to catch child pornographers, hackers, and other nefarious types.
What The Law Says
Log files are considered legal evidence and you can be sued for stealing bandwidth (or copyrighted property). At the time of this writing, damages can be awarded up to $100,000 plus proven costs. Proof of monetary loss isn't necessary for damages to be awarded.
In Conclusion...
The long and short of it is, don't steal images or bandwidth. It could mess up your entire life if you were taken to court and forced to pay 6 figures in damages. It's just as easy to do things right. Think about it!
Source: boogiejack.com
Copyrights
Unless you have permission to download an image from a web site, it is theft. Most people who wouldn't shoplift from a store don't think twice about stealing a web sites content. Most do it out of ignorance, but ignorance of the law, as you know, is no excuse in the eyes of the law.
Bandwidth Can Be Stolen Property Too
Never link to an image on someone else's site - it's a crime - and it's easy to get caught!
Many free graphics sites get tens of thousands of visitors each week. If 1/ 10th of the visitors that come here linked to just one graphic on my server, in just one year webmasters be paying for bandwidth used on over 100,000 sites - for people that aren't even visiting the sites!
If these sites only got ten visitors a day, that's 1,000,000 times per week the bandwidth is being stolen! You can see why sites shut down because of the high cost of popularity. People, who provide free things for everyone's enjoyment and benefit, end up paying money out of their own pocket for illegal linking. That's just not fair, to webmasters or the visitors - because illegal linking slows down the host site for the real visitors.
Just Be Kind
Graphic artists and designers do not deserve to lose their web sites because of this ever-increasing problem. Please be kind enough to allow them that give so freely to keep enjoying what we do. If not, the best graphics sites will disappear and you will have to pay for every graphic you use. No more freebies!!!
You Can Easily Be Caught!
People don't realize how easily they can be caught stealing bandwidth and images. Each time a file is called from the server, it is recorded in what is called a log file. If you link to a graphic on someone else's server, it records the web site that the file is called from, so if you link illegally to someone else's files, each time your page is accessed by anyone, that is recorded.
You may think if you signed up with a free host you can get away with it. Perhaps you used a fictitious name and address when you signed up, and even used a free email account. All that doesn't matter.
Every time you create, modify or add to a free web site, or just send an email from your computer or a free account, your IP address is logged. Your IP address can easily be tracked to your ISP, who has logs of which account has used which IP address and on what dates and times. You are never completely anonymous on the Internet. These are the same files the FBI uses to catch child pornographers, hackers, and other nefarious types.
What The Law Says
Log files are considered legal evidence and you can be sued for stealing bandwidth (or copyrighted property). At the time of this writing, damages can be awarded up to $100,000 plus proven costs. Proof of monetary loss isn't necessary for damages to be awarded.
In Conclusion...
The long and short of it is, don't steal images or bandwidth. It could mess up your entire life if you were taken to court and forced to pay 6 figures in damages. It's just as easy to do things right. Think about it!
Source: boogiejack.com