August 10, 2016

The Most SHOCKING Thing Happened to Me!

Hey everyone,

How's your week going? I hope it's going well. Mine has been interesting so far. First of all, I started work on Monday - YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!! Thank God for the ability to earn an income again! It's not much, but I'm thankful for the new set of skills I'm learning so far and I know they'll come in handy in the future. Thanks to everyone for the prayers - God answers them!

So the shocking thing that happened...



Yesterday afternoon, Cakes and I were chatting on Whatsapp and then he sent a photo and called me immediately afterwards. When I saw the photo, I was confused for a quick second and then came the utter shock.

Take a look and see for yourself.


Yup, a random page on Facebook had posted my photos to use and sell their products!!! To add insult to injury, please look at the story they used... me, hair loss, looking like an old woman. Chai, I haff suffered! Not only did Cakes' friend see the photos and alert him, a blog reader also sent a message via my Facebook page. Thank youuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!


These photos were from my Instagram account, and I was never asked any permission for their use. I tried to report the photo on Facebook, but all it ultimately came down to was for me to ask the page owner to take the photos down. I sent a message to them quickly.


Some of my Facebook fam - shouts out to my personal Voltron force - quickly fired comments on the page, telling them to take the photos down and stop lying using my image. As in, unsuspecting customers had actually commented saying they were interested in the product!

A few hours later, the photos were taken down thankfully. I did go to check out their website, and saw photos of other people (some of whom are bloggers as well). And the funny thing about the website is the copyright notice at the bottom of their home page.
The contents of this website, text, images, e-products are sold or distributed 
by this company, are owned by this company and protected under the Nigerian Copyright Act pursuant to Nigeria and International Copyright Laws. Copy/Edit/Use of our contents without my express written permission and you WILL be subject to the maximum fine/penalty imposed by the Law
Be Warned
Oh really?! First of all, I can bet that 85% of the photos there don't belong to the website and were lifted off people's websites and social media. Secondly, they say express written permission must be sought before copying, editing, or using "their" content. And finally, doing so without their permission will cause you to be subject to maximum fines and penalties? 

OH, REALLY?!?!?!

Here's my thing: if you're going to use someone else's photos on a blog or website, at the very least cite your source. If you're using the photos for commercial purposes, get permission AND compensate the owner of the photographs! What a lot of people don't realize is that there are stock photos that are basically free to use online - if to be used to sell a service or product, there may be a small fee attached. But the bottom line is, think, and ask permission before using photos that you didn't take yourself.

P.S. This reminds me of a friend of mine whose wedding photo is splashed on a billboard basically in Port Harcourt, selling salon services. SMH.

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30 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. I don't know how in this day and age, people think it's okay to just lift someone's photo without asking for permission. Another friend's photos are being used by some hotel and they told her the photos were posted online, so it was public property! Imagine.

      Delete
  2. Saw this on your InstaStory! How ridiculous. I'm not sure how people blatantly do this!! When I wrote that post on why people shouldn't use any picture they see on Google images without permission, someone actually came for me on Twitter saying "once you put stuff out there anyone can use it" and if you didn't want it to be used, just keep it to yourself. ridiculous!! And how dare they use that language. Gosh.
    KacheeTee.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That is a bunch of utter crap! If I post it online, it's MY photo. I think that too many people just don't know the laws, and until people start getting sued and having to pay fines, this problem will continue.

      Delete
  3. Congrats on the new job!

    This whole situation annoys me to no end. People take their time to take and edit photos and someone just lifts it. It reeks of laziness. Thankfully, you got them taken down. Have you heard of any other sites using your images?

    Don't Touch the Hair

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Uzoma - the job is quite demanding sha, and I have a lot to learn in a short time.

      I haven't heard of any other sites, but now I feel like I should be on alert. But how do you begin to start sniffing out such instances?

      Delete
  4. Hurrrayyy for the new job...thanks to the Almighty. OMG @ the site using your pictures without RESPECT!!! A bigger OMG for the wedding photo as a salon advert!!! As in...this is just common courtesy!!! Shut it down, Berry!!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you TY. I remember when I drove by and saw my friend's wedding photos - I was so shocked. But that couldn't have prepared me for this one that happened to me. I'm just happy they took it down.

      Delete
  5. There need to be laws against this kinda stuffs? Fraudsters everywhere









    FAVOURMOYSE BLOG  

    ReplyDelete
  6. This is so annoying! I absolutel hate when people lift your pictures and just use it for any thing they deem fit. I wish Facebook even took down the page kmt!

    Congrats on the job!

    Cassie Daves Blog
    My travel details, logistics and tipa to the Republic Of Benin (Cotonou)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think people need to be educated on this issue. But it's even common sense to not take someone's personal photos and use for your business!

      Thanks!

      Delete
  7. Welcome to Nigeria blogosphere where plagiarism is the in thing. The sad truth is that plagiarism is so common now that it's no longer seen as a crime.
    Nemyinspired.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  8. wow how annoying and deceitful of them smh

    xo
    lipstickvillain.com

    ReplyDelete
  9. Happy about your new job dear, thank God the photos were taken down!

    www.wurassecrethair.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  10. It was God that saved me o. I've been having front hair issues as well. So when i came across this, and from 23k to 9k sounded like such a deal! Plus i was like, so this is what Berry uses!!! Then i came to your blog and expected to find something similar, NOTHING! I then decided to research the products and i found good reviews. However, the cream is actually a meager 1k and the spray 4k7. Needless to say i had already started whatsapp conversations with this facebook page owner but i quickly backed down. No thank you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!!!!!!! OMG, are you for real?

      I mean, if they have good reviews, fine - although you should check that they're real reviews and not made up.

      Delete
  11. Can you imagine such nonsense?! I'm glad you shut it down quick.

    Congratulations on the new job, wonderful news! I wish you the very best. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  12. This is crazy! They even added a "personal" story about you to it. Bad business ethics.
    Thank God for all the people that notified you.
    Congrats on the new job, dear!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The personal story!!!!! Like, why?!?!?! Where on earth did that come from?

      Thanks Precious :)

      Delete
  13. I think it's really rude to use someone else's picture without asking them first. That's how one time, a salon in my estate used Sisi Yemmie's wedding picture on their poster smh. Glad you were able to sort it out though. xx

    cocobellablog.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It IS rude! Oh wow, I wonder if she knows. I know a lot of small salons just take photos off different websites and use them for their posters. Even Obama! So uncool.

      Delete
  14. I remember reading this and was silently hoping you'd take screenshots. You did! Thankfully, lol!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Welcome to Naija! This is the reason I am wary about products being sold with images of people giving testimonials because most of the time it's just crap: they basically use people's images off the internet to market their goods and deceive unsuspecting customers. Im glad you found out however and got the issue solved. It is disturbing indeed.

    Sorry I Cannot Go Out With My Natural Hair

    ReplyDelete
  16. That was an immature, rude and stupid thing ever done! That page supposed to be penalised by Facebook maybe a months temporary suspension so she would learn from what she did.
    Since you had a PC, i recommend you put your blog's link on your pictures you used here. I guess that would solve a little

    ReplyDelete

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