[Brasko]

I just thought everyone should be aware of what I came across.

There seems to be a lot of wrongful usage of the images we post of our vehicles. One good example is this...

I was browsing eBay for M3 parts & accessories and randomly came across this link. It's from an eBay seller that claims to sell carbon fiber trunk lid spoilers. Funny think is that Azurite Black Metallic M3 in the pic does not have a carbon trunk spoiler on it. In fact, the M3 in the picture is from a post by Samb95 that can be viewed here.

I just want everyone to be aware that the images you post may be used by others in an unlawful way. Be diligent in your posts and take the extra measure to remove/block out your license plate number too. Watermarks do help, but as you can see in this scenario the image was cropped to remove the watermark.

Oh, and Samb95 thank you for sharing images of your ride. I absolutely love the combo and stared/scrolled your thread for countless hours, debating between Azurite Black Metallic or Laguna Seca Blue.

I've attached images below for reference.

[MKSixer]

Originally Posted by Brasko

Not sure if the General Forum is the best place to share this, but I just thought everyone should be aware of what I came across.

There seems to be a lot of wrongful usage of the images we post of our vehicles. One good example is this...

I was browsing eBay for M3 parts & accessories and randomly came across this link. It's from an eBay seller that claims to sell carbon fiber trunk lid spoilers. Funny think is that Azurite Black Metallic M3 in the pic does not have a carbon trunk spoiler on it. In fact, the M3 in the picture is from a post by Samb95 that can be viewed here.

I just want everyone to be aware that the images you post may be used by others in an unlawful way. Be diligent in your posts and take the extra measure to remove/block out your license plate number too. Watermarks do help, but as you can see in this scenario the image was cropped to remove the watermark.

Oh, and Samb95 thank you for sharing images of your ride. I absolutely love the combo and stared/scrolled your thread for countless hours, debating between Azurite Black Metallic or Laguna Seca Blue.

I've attached images below for reference.

Thanks for the reminder!
This happens all of the time from unscrupulous sellers.

The license plate issue is my biggest worry. I appreciate people loving to photograph our vehicles but the license plate thing worries me to no end. If I am around, I actually ask people not to photograph the rear of the car. My next step is to get/make an easily attachable cover and put it on when I park.

Cheers-mk

[mojobmw_e90]

Don't bother me. U never know who is driving behind u and taking pictures of your car from the rear or what ever. Even at shows.

[BeEmVe]

FWIW, the OP should send Samb95 a note to alert him of the copyright violation. Samb95 should then contact ebay - they tend to take copyright violations seriously. For others learn about photos and DMCA take down notices.

[Abax335]

Why does this matter. I love when I find my car in ads for parts or post that i didn't make. What's gonna happen if someone gets my plate compared to those driving locally with me ?

[Abax335]

Originally Posted by SakhirM4

Thread title is very misleading

Lol #clickbate, must work for the ads

[larryn]

Thought the same thing. Clickbait.

Also, pictures posted to forums do not have copyright, unless expressly watermarked and disclaimered.

[BeEmVe]

Originally Posted by Abax335

Why does this matter. I love when I find my car in ads for parts or post that i didn't make. What's gonna happen if someone gets my plate compared to those driving locally with me ?

It is called intellectual property. If you do not care about others stealing from you then no worries. For others, it is about their livelihood so it matters.

Originally Posted by larryn

Also, pictures posted to forums do not have copyright, unless expressly watermarked and disclaimered.

Wrong …

[MKSixer]

Originally Posted by Abax335

Why does this matter. I love when I find my car in ads for parts or post that i didn't make. What's gonna happen if someone gets my plate compared to those driving locally with me ?

Hmmmm.

Ever have anyone follow you home? Ever have anyone persistently attempt to question you about what you do for a living and where you live as you attempt to put fuel in your vehicle? That's just local.

Do you really what to see what some kook from the internet can do?

[Abax335]

Originally Posted by MKSixer

Hmmmm.

Ever have anyone follow you home? Ever have anyone persistently attempt to question you about what you do for a living and where you live as you attempt to put fuel in your vehicle? That's just local.

Do you really what to see what some kook from the internet can do?

I'm sure they can do anything they want with or without my plates.

[yousefnjr]

Looks like it does have a lip spoiler on it... Am I seeing things?

[larryn]

Originally Posted by BeEmVe

Wrong …

Enlighten, please.

[nholmes]

You won't believe what happens next!

[BeEmVe]

Originally Posted by larryn

Enlighten, please.

http://www.copyright.gov/title17/

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=copyright+myths

[OneSickM]

Originally Posted by MKSixer

Thanks for the reminder!
This happens all of the time from unscrupulous sellers.

The license plate issue is my biggest worry. I appreciate people loving to photograph our vehicles but the license plate thing worries me to no end. If I am around, I actually ask people not to photograph the rear of the car. My next step is to get/make an easily attachable cover and put it on when I park.

Cheers-mk

I believe you are not allowed to cover your license plates on public streets even when it is parked. You only can do that at private garage.

[larryn]

Originally Posted by BeEmVe

http://www.copyright.gov/title17/

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=copyright+myths

Good to see the thread title change.

Sorry to sidetrack this conversation. I read much of the links that you provided as I have history in this topic. I'm done with this portion of the conversation after this:

I used to have an online gallery of pictures that I took during travel as a hobby, largely for family and friends. I found that many of those pictures wound up on a popular "pictures for sale for limited commercial usage" website. Long story short, there was nothing I could do about it, as I did not have copyright notification directly alongside the stolen pictures. I removed my website as a result.

Though enthical, the reusage of the pictures that we post, in itself, is not illegal. False advertising is something altogether different, and it certainly could be construed as that.

[nholmes]

Insurance companies hate this one trick!

[mazharracer]

I still don't get why people get so concerned with covering up there license plate #, do you not drive on the road everyone can see it than. People who can get in database to see what is the address for that license plate can also look up how many m3 r around them and go from there. I would be happy if it gets stolen this just means get insurance money and move on to a new car

[DaZuc]

Yeah I have seen this before from these taiwanese sellers.

[tom @ eas]

Good luck, there are a ton of overseas eBay resellers using our pictures with watermarks cropped out to sell counterfeit carbon parts, sometimes even adding their own watermarks.

[cays]

Originally Posted by mazharracer

I still don't get why people get so concerned with covering up there license plate #, do you not drive on the road everyone can see it than. People who can get in database to see what is the address for that license plate can also look up how many m3 r around them and go from there. I would be happy if it gets stolen this just means get insurance money and move on to a new car

I or ANYONE else can purchase a history of every occasion (even real time) where your license plate has been photographed such as by a camera at the entrance to a municipal or commercial parking structure. Most cameras at business locations are hooked into the network. My house was burglarized by someone who knew I was 50 miles away at the time. These fucking shithole pricks are prime offenders:

http://vigilantsolutions.com/

Same with motherfuckers like AT&T via tracking an IMEI on your cell phone. Nothing to regulate because the lobbies beat back every attempt via legislation.

[cays]

Just in case anyone is further interested in the background:

http://arstechnica.com/search/?ie=UTF-8&q=vigilant