Iloilo Government Website Infringes on Copyright – Uses Photos without Permission

Here is Story #3 of the Copyright Violations I caught during the recent Dinagyang Festival 2009

I wasnt too hot on going after the Iloilo Government website but If the government didnt understand what copyright is how can we be protected? And like the 2 newspapers in Iloilo there is no gray area.. its either you infringed on someones rights or you didnt.. and in this case it is clear as day. The best Tourism Event in the Philippines has also become the Country’s best place to get violated by copyright infringement.

Here is  Iloilo.gov.ph Website

You would think that the government would be a government of the people, by the people, for the people.. protecting the pe0ple and their rights.. right? but maybe the government also needs to be enlightened that photographers are people too and that they have basic rights just like any other person on the street.

Both photos on the top of the image are from my gallery. The girls dancing with the Sto Nino and the guy looking forward on the upper right hand of ilonggos celebrate the Dinagyang Festival. The girls dancing are on the main photo.net.ph festival page but i have temporarily taken down the main gallery since loads for the past few days have been intense due to traffic from the earlier posts about The News Today violates Photographers Copyright and The Visayan Daily Headlines Violates Copyright of Photographer

Is it that hard to Credit the Photographer or ask permission? Watermarks are placed to let you know who owns the photo… and you should respect that basic right. Use of Photo would have been ok if they asked permission or even credited the owner since it

is used to promote the Dinagyang Festival but erasing or masking the watermark is a totally different ballgame, there is malice to conceal the truth.

Article Title: Dinagyang Festival 2009

Written by Melinda C. Defensor

Thursday, 22 January 2009

I have been shooting the Dinagyang Festival since 2007 and trying to promote Tourism thru Photography, I spend my own money, time and effort to travel around the country to take photos and show them for other to see the beauty of the Philippines and in this case, the energy and intensity of Dinagyang Festival… and why I have come back every year since I discovered and was moved by the Festival…. and this is how I am rewarded? The News Today, The Visayan Daily

headlines and the Iloilo government website used my photos without permission and not even crediting me for my photos… not even a link back to my gallery…. What to do now?

How do you teach people that are supposed to protect you and your rights if they themselves are guilty of violating these same rights?

Visayan Daily Headlines violates photographers copyright – Copyright Violator #2

Here is the Story #2 of  trip to the dinagyang festival to find my photos being used with permission and no credit is given.

Photo was used in Dinagyang & 9th Year Anniversary of Visayan Daily Headlines – Dinagyang Supplement Sat-Sun January 24-25

This Issue has a lot of photos in the back where the History of the Tribes are placed. There is even a photo with the  exploreiloilo.com watermark. Maybe the festival shooter should check if their photos are being used.

If you are a photographer and want to let them know how you feel about thier using photos off the net, please email them at daily_headlines@yahoo.com

This is Supplement came out on Volume 10 Number 18. Contains 3 sections with 20 pages and sold at P10.00

People behind the Visayan Daily Headlines

• Jose “Joe” Naranjo – Publisher
• Jennifer B. Ponsoran & Andoy Sanchez – Editorial Board
• Ramil B. Baylon – Art Director
• Arnold Almacen – Photographer

Editorial & Business Office

Ground Floor, NB Building, Lopez Jaena St. Jaro, Iloilo City

I found the photo while shooting at Stage 3.. there where papers on the tables and chairs of the audience. I didnt pick it up right away but fellow photographers were telling me to check and so I did..  And the photo on the right is what i discovered used on the top left of the header of the newspaper.

Like the earlier Story of The News today violating copyright, I feel sad that media is the first to violate copyright. A friend tried calling the news today office and he said that the person on the other end said that they did not do anything wrong and that everything on the Internet is FREE… What people fail to understand is that things are FREE TO LOOK AT or READ.. not FREE TO USE.. because at the moment those photos are created, a copyright is attached to each and every image that you create.

WATERMARKED OR NOT it still has copyright, BIG OR SMALL WATERMARK wont matter, copyright is inherent at the creation of the image. When you sign checks will it matter if your signature was big or small? I dont think so..

In this particular Issue my Watermark was erased adding malice to the action. What to do? maybe it would be good to let them know what you think! Sana naman MAHIYA sila! How do we teach them a lesson? Send them a Bill or SUE them?  I already have a pending case with Manila Bulletin and Adding to the headaches with these 2 other newspapers will be a pain.

Watch out for Story #3 Later tonight.

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