Photo Credit: Jeff Prieb
Have you ever written a letter of complaint?
As many of my readers know I have been truly inspired and excited by the creativity that I personally generate through Pinterest. Yet, despite being quoted in an article about my support for the site as well as promoting it on this blog, all the talk on copyright infringement continues to worry me. So, I wrote this letter. I will admit I frame my dialogue aggressively, but I am sad to say Pinterest did not reply or offer any insight into safe pinning. I’m frustrated because I love the service and feel like I’m being misled! Read and let me know what you think.
Emailed August 19, 2012 to support @pinterest
Good day,
I’m frustrated with the lack of clear communication on Pinterest’s part with regard to issues of copyright. Your policy places responsibility and onus on users with limited education or material to help users educate themselves. I love your service. As an art teacher, compiling artists for my students is so easy and a readily available tool for students to find inspiration and learn about art history. Yet, by my reading of your policy, my very repinning or posting of these images claims I have legal rights to post? Your service by its very nature is about sharing yet that could lead me to legal consequence. I’ve been holding out, hoping I would not have to cancel my membership and participation in your services but I’m beginning to realize that as much as I like what Pinterest offers me, the legal consequences of continuing may be severe. I would love to hear from Pinterest as to how to handle their use. Rampant repinning of materials clearly not created by users makes your site work. How is Pinterest not afraid for some huge legal battle? Is it because Pinterest’s very terms place all responsibility on users? It is almost as if this service is truly just setting people up to be sued?
Any guidance and clarification you can provide that would allow me to continue participating in your great idea is most welcome.
My understanding is:
(1) only post images I have legal right to (my photographs, my artwork)
(2) don’t repin anything because I don’t have rights to those images (which essentially kills the reasoning behind using this service)
Please correct me if I’m wrong. Some “everyday speak” on your terms of service may help clarify these concerns for other users, which is clearly an ever growing problem.
Thank you for your time and consideration of my concerns,
Sincerely,
Carrie Brummer
Blog: www.artiststrong.com
Artist Site: www.carriebrummer.com
I’m considering removing all of my boards for anything related to the arts. I may then just “Like” images for my reference as I have not then repinned or pinned anything to suggest my ownership of said imagery. I’m sincerely saddened by the prospect of cancelling my membership as it has been an amazing way to “collect” artists for my students and my own inspiration.
Artist Strong Action: What are your suggestions for using Pinterest safely, if not removing oneself entirely from the website?
I can’t speak to the larger issues, but several museums, including the Getty and Metropolitan Museum of Art, have Pinterest accounts and post photos of items in their collection to the site. If you are looking for images for your students’ study, these may be useful resources.
Thank you! I will definitely seek those out.
You may be interested in http://pinterest-out.blogspot.com
Thank you for the link. I will definitely check it out.
Carrie, Funny enough I saw this via your Pinterest and have the exact questions/feelings towards these issues. While I find at times Pinterest can be a great marketing tool for my work/products, I feel uneasy with the potential misuse of my work and other artist work through this site. How tremendous it is to be able to find mew artists, or techniques on Pinterest, but what is the cost in the long run? Have you heard back from them yet?
Hi Kelli! Thanks for sharing. I’m disappointed to say no one has replied to my letter. I do wonder if my tone of frustration only hurt my chances for a reply. Yet, it makes me wonder how much the vision of Pinterest’s leadership corresponds to the collaborative use of the consumer? Right now I still use it, but I wonder how ethical my choice is when I know there are all of these concerns!?
I’m hoping more people will repin my letter to Pinterest and see if that generates a reply.
I just amped up my new account, this is something I honestly hadn’t even thought of…lots to think of here. I can’t believe they haven’t responded. Thanks for the post.
Becky, thanks for reading. Essentially what is happening is our technology and crowdsourcing initiatives, as well as many things on the internet, have outpaced our laws. People are trying to protect themselves but with outdated laws and structures that don’t accommodate for the kinds of lives we now live. Despite these concerns I’ve continued my use with Pinterest. It’s like an earlier post I wrote a long long time ago about Facebook: there is a whole bunch of legal jargon on their social media platform because they are trying to protect themselves. That is what legal jargon is about!
Some artists are concerned about posting their work there as well. And my thought is this: I don’t see multi-million dollar companies using my images to promote their brand, because my content has nothing to do with what they do. And these platforms allow me to build genuine connections with people like yourself. I’ve recently discovered a subset of artists choosing not to post on any social media because these brands could “steal their art.” I’m pretty sure using our artwork has nothing to do with their big plans for their companies. But our use of the media allows them to grow, and us to generate more reach. I’m able to do the work I do today because of social media. And for that, I am grateful.