Internet picture scam ?

[Waldo]

I wonder if there is a fixed % of pixels in an image, that if changed, it isn't legally considered the same image?

 

If you change 1 pixel, is it the same image?

 

If you change 50% of the pixels, is it the same image? How about 99%?

 

At what point does it become a new image, legally?

[biotechpete]

I think you could technically change 100% of the pixels eg the colour of them and it still be the same image.

For instance:

http://www.warhol.org/exhibitions/2012/15minuteseternal/en/img/art-marilyn-470x469.jpg

http://mrnussbaum.com/artists/warhol3.jpg

[geared]

Through a court, not by sending an invoice.

 

---------- Post added 22-05-2015 at 22:27 ----------

 

This image is it

http://www.movesandremoves.co.uk/images/Image7.jpg

 

Taken from here?

 

http://www.vistaprint.co.uk/design/AMG-4452/black-van--pick-up-in-store-business-cards.aspx?couponAutoload=1&GP=5%2f22%2f2015+5%3a25%3a26+PM&GPS=3517106094&GNF=0

 

You're not the only company to be using it though

 

http://www.medencouriers.com/Recruitment.html

 

and here

 

http://www.belizecomputerguy.com/job5.html

 

Which company is claiming ownership of the image tho, and can they prove that??

 

Hasn't the law also recently changed to say if you cannot identify the owner of an image after a reasonable search it is free to use.

[biotechpete]

Of course, a picture can be near identical being taken of the same event and yet not be a breach of copyright.

[loraward]

Through a court, not by sending an invoice.

 

---------- Post added 22-05-2015 at 22:27 ----------

 

This image is it

http://www.movesandremoves.co.uk/images/Image7.jpg

 

Taken from here?

 

http://www.vistaprint.co.uk/design/AMG-4452/black-van--pick-up-in-store-business-cards.aspx?couponAutoload=1&GP=5%2f22%2f2015+5%3a25%3a26+PM&GPS=3517106094&GNF=0

 

You're not the only company to be using it though

 

http://www.medencouriers.com/Recruitment.html

 

and here

 

http://www.belizecomputerguy.com/job5.html

 

And here, about another 100 websites using that image.

 

https://www.imageraider.com/search/#pe4e786a7d3746378493aa52270b54f61

[andyofborg]

some sites may have a license from the copyright holder to use that image

 

the op should certainly be seeking proof that the people seeking the money are the copyright holder or their agents.

 

he should also be asking whoever developed the site where the image came from and whether they had permission to use it in this way

[WageSlave]

Of course, a picture can be near identical being taken of the same event and yet not be a breach of copyright.

 

A perfect example here http://petapixel.com/2015/02/03/contest-copyright-controversy-crazy-coincidence/

[Waldo]

Of course, a picture can be near identical being taken of the same event and yet not be a breach of copyright.

 

For digital pictures though, they're just a 2D array of RGB values. I'm curious, how much do you have to change an image, before you get to a point where it's not considered the same as the original, for legal copyright purposes?

 

Is this something that is clearly defined, or do judges just make it up as they go?

[Love2print]

Through a court, not by sending an invoice.

 

---------- Post added 22-05-2015

 

Not disputing that it has to go through court. But before going to court if is advisable to try to settle the matter with the party involved. If the letter is genuine perhaps this is what the copyright holder is trying to do.

[Cyclone]

Which company is claiming ownership of the image tho, and can they prove that??

 

Hasn't the law also recently changed to say if you cannot identify the owner of an image after a reasonable search it is free to use.

 

I'm not the OP, so I can only speculate that it's vista print, and that they probably have the digital original and a contract from a graphic artists/photographer who produced it.

 

---------- Post added 23-05-2015 at 08:49 ----------

 

And here, about another 100 websites using that image.

 

https://www.imageraider.com/search/#pe4e786a7d3746378493aa52270b54f61

 

Good website, never seen that before.

 

---------- Post added 23-05-2015 at 08:50 ----------

 

For digital pictures though, they're just a 2D array of RGB values. I'm curious, how much do you have to change an image, before you get to a point where it's not considered the same as the original, for legal copyright purposes?

 

Is this something that is clearly defined, or do judges just make it up as they go?

 

If you start with a work to which you don't own the copyright, I'd imagine that no matter what you change, you still don't have the right to the result.