What would you do?

This is my blog post from last night.



I found out last night that when the designer's business and slife partner appeared at this person's location, he was promptly banned.

Obviously, in this forum, I cannot name names - however, I can on my blog. Do you think this person should be named?

IMHO, I think that if your blog is open to comments, you should leave the shop owner's name out and allow the skin creator to post a comment "outing" the owner if he/she sees fit. That way it's not second hand information--straight from the horse's mouth. :: shrug ::

no everything is so grey

NO, since it's already been AR'd, and as i read it, taken care of.
And if it isn't taken care of, it's still not your authorization to disclose this info to the public. (since it's already known by LL)
And furthermore it's against the tos in general, for this service to disclose ANY information, that can lead to misabuse or misinformation.
Besides, do you have REAL HARD PROOF , that it is stolen? Because if it really was stolen, i think LL already would have taken care of, through the original creator. Maybe the creator, you think is the original creator is the false one in the game. (just playing advocate of the devil, since there are many loonies in SL, this COULD be the situation too.. )
The creator saying it's his/her/their work, doesn't proof anything legally. It should be backed up with actual, proof somehow.
It's known that thiefs pretend to be the legal creator themselves (especially if they gain money with it, while the real creator doesn't), in either RL or SL, so be careful you know for sure, who is who in terms of this situation.
I mean, maybe neither of both are the real creator(s) of the skins at all, both thiefs. One lucky with gaining income, the other less lucky. (and don't look as who is creator in the object properties inside the inventoy, because if it's stolen, the thiefs name will be the creator)

Don't forget, there are reseller vendors too.. And the likes.
(or he has gotten a copy from the creator, and the creator has remorse over the gift lateron, and claims it as stolen, while it isn't. LindenLab can check that through inventory transfers of the two involved residents. NOT YOU)

Just be carefull, don't jump into the fire, while you have no exact proof, or it's beyond your authorization/legallity.



all in all, you did what in your eyes and authorization you could do. (AR's and anonymous blogging)
That's all, leave it to rest.. Nothing more you can/may do here.

Well it depends...
Ripped skins that are already wide-spread, if I had a freebie shop I doubt that I would remove them either. They look like freebies, smell like freebies, who are you to say they are not

But as soon as they ban the designer and/or his partner, they seem to know damn well they are wrong. And instead of removing the stuff they an the designer? In that case, I would not mind naming names. And as far as I know you, I think you are certain enough that they are doing wrong.

Remains the question: why?
If it is a "freebie store" (is a place where all is free, actually a store?) why would they not just remove the items. It is not as if they loose money over it
The other why might be: why do you bother? It is a thing between the creator and the "seller", why get involved anyway? Just warn the creator (you apparently did) and your job is done there. Saves you a lot of trouble too.

First, I do have it from the creator's partner that the skins were stolen.

These skins are not in any authorized reseller packages...this designer does not do that.

Normally, I don't let my blog get embroiled in this kind of stuff...I just report the freebies and their locations. But this just makes my blood boil.

/me = willing to carry a large sign and stand just outside his property! We could bring weinies and marshmallows (oh wait, forget the weinies--I don't know how much time I could spend with .... [not naming names]). Honestly...maybe a protest would bring some attention.

I edited my post, and saw that you already used the unmodified post of mine to react.. so here is the modification to it..

Do you have REAL HARD PROOF , that it is stolen? Because if it really was stolen, i think LL already would have taken care of, through the original creator. Maybe the creator, you think is the original creator is the false one in the game. (just playing advocate of the devil, since there are many loonies in SL, this COULD be the situation too.. )
The creator saying it's his/her/their work, doesn't proof anything legally. It should be backed up with actual, proof somehow.
It's known that thiefs pretend to be the legal creator themselves (especially if they gain money with it, while the real creator doesn't), in either RL or SL, so be careful you know for sure, who is who in terms of this situation.
I mean, maybe neither of both are the real creator(s) of the skins at all, both thiefs. One lucky with gaining income, the other less lucky. (and don't look as who is creator in the object properties inside the inventoy, because if it's stolen, the thiefs name will be the creator)

Ah, but you see Marcel, when things like this happen - as a freebie blog writer, if I'm not on top of it as well, and I refer people to stores where the content is stolen...am I not perpetuating the theft?

And your "why" questions...are exactly mine as well. What do you gain (besides traffic) when you're giving away stolen goods? I was not the only one who told him they were stolen....several others did as well. His attitude was atrocious - and to ban the creator's partner? WTF? If he was truly innocent, why not admit to the partner "I didn't know they were stolen, I'll take them down". Banning was, to me, an admission that he knew.

Don't name names...it will only help spread the skins by tempting people to run over and pick up a set.

The designer knows. It's up to him/her to file a DMCA takedown.

I'd post the bare bones of it, leaving out names, but invite the actual creator to comment. The actual creator can out the person, so the onus is off of you.

As for someone running to grab freebies, because the store was named? I hate to say it, but they've already been grabbed and will probably continue to be grabbed. Naming the store just allows those of us who want to support the creators to not be taken in by the freebies.

Too much supposition here, say. The skins are acknowledged widely and publicly by the creator (who is very well known, as are the skins), to be stolen and DMCAs have been filed.

Don't refer his store anymore--

my advice? Don't blog them, and if the creator wants to come and out them, let them. But spare yourself the 'fashion drama' of naming them yourself.

just an opinion

Maybe, but you doing the opposite. Saying things are the facts, while YOU don't know for sure. It's something to solve between the involved parties, if their willing.
Not you as guest/resident/shopper.
Don't burn your fingers on something you don't have the details from.
(real details, that are infact facts for sure.)
Someone with a good skin store, famous or not, doesn't mean anything in this situation, yet. (lack of real proof again, you own).
Maybe the skins look alike, and are based on eachother (very similar). This could be trademark infringement, if they trademarked it anyway. (see the lacoste logo situation)
But if it's such a case, it's not the same as being stolen.
(slight difference)

Absolute given, Ashe. It will be a cold day in hell before his slurl graces my blog. I don't think it ever has, but that's something I'll be checking...and it will be removed.

Wouldn't this be a form of harrasment and get yourself AR'd?

Likewise, as soon as you tell people there are top designer skins available people will flock to it.... Most people don't give 2 chits about the creators and how it should be regarded in the community.

It is NOT against the TOS to disclose ALL of this persons information on a THIRD PARTY WEBSITE!

LL cannot control what a private citizen puts on their privately paid for website, nor do they try - no matter what the content and it's relation to another Second Life Citizen.

Absolutely correct.

I know that we agree on *most* of the ToS (few things, no) but I believe from our time spent on the forums, that we all agree in the reasoning behind LL's rule of not naming names...If you agree with it in regards to the forums, why would you want to list it *any* place?? Just sayin'.....

Because while TOS is the agreement we are bound by within the game called Second Life....no one can take away my freedom of speech.

True, but we don't want to use freedom of speech to slander either...We can't and shouldn't in this case, 100% judge how he came upon those. I was there last night when all this was going down. You're right, he acted horribly and dishonestly to me, but I feel you have done all you should do. I wouldn't take it any further.

That does seem to be the general consensus. And while it may seem small, never allowing his store on my blog will help some what...and will make ME feel better about it all, anyway

Go tell Tenshi on SLU. You won't have to lift a finger...

LOL