Real nice blatant design ripoff there.

I know where you can get a copy...










Just kidding people!

Okay, all the t-shirts have been removed. I don't know how I'll live without that $0.20 a day, but I'll try to carry on.

I'd suggest throwing an e-mail their way to ask if you would be able to do it. I would mention how much you are selling them for (linden and USD) and ask if there's a way you could possibly give them out free if they don't want you selling them. They probably would be ok with the idea.

I've considered that a few times, but I'm always afraid I'll end up in their newsletter. They can be vicious, but very funny when it's someone else they're ripping a new one.

Taking them down isn't that big of a deal though. I wasn't planning on putting them back up when my new build is finished and I have to reset everything. I never charged enough for them to make it worth taking up the space, I just had them out because they're so deliciously irreverent, and because people asked for them the last time I took them all down to make room.

Justy because no one has mentioned it....

This is NOT ILLEGAL. There is no way to copyright clothing designs in the same way as artwork etc. All that is reserved is the trademark and the logos.

For instance you cant make Nike swooshes (who'd want to anyway?), legally cause that is their trademark, nor can you sell a copy of a piece of clothing like DKNY, *as* DKNY (with the label or box.)

You CAN make an identical copy of something you saw on any catwalk, call it something else, and LEGALLY sell it the very next day if you want to.

Since those are the rules for RL clothing manufacturers it stands to reason that you can take any design you see on the web and copy it in SL as long as you avoid trademark issues and dont attempt to pass it off as the "real thing" (hardly likely considering the virtual nature of the clothing in SL).

IF it's illegal to copy T-Shirt Hell designs in SL, it would be illegal only because the logo on the T-Shirt itself might be a trademark or registered as such by T-Shirt hell. The argument in court would be presumabley that you were copying a "look and feel" copyrighted by them if you were suing similar typefaces and layouts, but this would be an excedingly weak argument if the logo was not specifically trademarked.

I'm kinda surprised Phoenix received the negative reaction he did.

About 6 months ago, a similar thread was posted between MeriJayne Hornpipe & Moopf Murray - Moopf being the one to call MeriJayne out for selling T-Shirt images from Threadless.com.

Thing is, when Moopf called it out - using similar strong language - the only outrage seemed to be against MeriJayne.

Possibly I'm just misinterpreting things - but read for yourself. Is it the same situation, or alltogether different?

This kind of stuff amuses me. People copying t-shirts in SL? Abominable. Microsoft ripping off MacOS X wholesale? No problem.

~Ulrika~

Granted the Social Engineer shirt I wear was inspired by another tee site, but it was just lame Hootie font on the front and not the remixed INTEL INSIDE logo like I have. I also left out the Because in Because There Is No Patch For Human Stupidity.

I find that so, so true every day of my life.

I'm thinking it's because Phoenix started this thread. Remember, the referenced item was BEFORE you could not reply to classifieds. Had Phoenix been able to respond to the classified... it would probably have had different results. But he can't, so he started his own thread about it....

Gah, I hope that makes sense

Those were tops, these are tshirts. Get it?

I noticed Jeska edited out your personal attack from the other thread, hehe.

I do feel a little guilty about that attack awhile back. I didn't meant it that way.

I remembered that and similar ones, Travis.

coco

It has always made me wonder, when I go around on my little shopping sprees in SL, if certain designers are actually getting permission to use certain trademarked or copy writed images. For instance I recently saw a Hooter's outfit and it is their logo to the T. I have not a clue if the designer sought permission from Hooter's to use it or not.

It's a rather fine line when dealing with copy writed or trademarked material in SL.
The same can be said for artwork that adorns the walls of our homes in SL.
I went to a gallery just the other day with art for sale and wondered if the person got permission to use the images or not. But that is another topic altogether.

Physician - Heal thyself.

Having offense at one person doing it is one thing - and well and good.. but having offense at something you do yourself? That's hypocrisy, in the literal meaning of the word - and 'scale' has very little to do with it.

(The practice of professing beliefs, feelings, or virtues that one does not hold or possess; falseness.)

I'm not a doctor -- but I play one on TV.

I said I had made a couple of shirts that were copies of RL shirts. I DIDN'T say I had sold them. They were for personal use. There's a big difference. And I didn't copy another company's entire set of new releases wholesale.

P2

Irrrrrelevant - scale means nothing... if you wanna point the finger, don't have poop on your shirt. Simple eh? You either stand by your principles or you don't - not 'well its ok cause my case is different' - chance are - it's not.

Thats my opinion anyways - and it's not changed.

you can protect original artwork that happens to go on a t-shirt, yes

Text does seem more questionable. But i'm sure there's some IP lawyers who'd like to try to defend such.

Speaking in general terms, I never buy into the "other people do it, so it's ok if I do" arguments. There's way too much IP theft in SL, and too many people who excuse their own behavior with such a weak defense.

Speaking about this particular matter, I was surprised to see your initial post come on so heavy PP.

This case may be on the minor/unclear-if-actual-violation side of things, but good on ya, jonquille, for taking em down.

heheh this is still a lot more civilized thread than that one that got Cereal spinning.

Apparently LL also has problem with copyright infringements more so they have enforced their stance on such issues.

I much prefer original works myself, that takes some thought and artistic ability.

Mar

http://secondlife.com/corporate/dmca.php

DMCA: Digital Millennium Copyright Act

Linden Lab will fully comply with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). The DMCA updates the copyright law to allow for internet realities. Copyright infringing materials found within the world of Second Life can be identified and removed via Linden Lab's DMCA compliance process listed below.

For information on the DMCA, please see
http://www.copyright.gov/legislation/dmca.pdf

Digital Millennium Copyright Act

Linden Lab will respond to copyright violations that fall under the restrictions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (see below for links to DMCA text) via removal or disabling access to the alleged copyrighted material. Reasonable and good faith efforts will be made to contact the Second Life resident with notification that the reported item was affected.

Residents will be able to file a counter-notification (per the DMCA sections 512(g)(2) and 512(g)(3) if the removed material was not infringing on a copyrighted work.

To File a Notification:
A written notification must be made. This can be done either by fax or written letter (regular mail) Emails will not be accepted unless a prior arrangement has been made. The notification must:

1. Identify in sufficient detail the copyrighted work that you believe has been infringed upon.
2. Identify the in-world item that you claim is infringing on your copyright, and provide information reasonably sufficient to locate the item in-world. For example "The allegedly infringing work I am referring to is located on the map area labeled 'Freelon, 104,30,56'." Please note: You may be liable for damages (including costs and attorneys fees) if you falsely claim that an in-world item is infringing your copyrights. We recommend contacting an attorney if you are unsure whether an in-world object is protected by copyright laws.
3. Provide a reasonably sufficient method of contacting you; phone number and email address would be preferred.
4. (Optional) Provide information, if possible, sufficient to permit us to notify the user(s) who posted the content that allegedly contains infringing material. (All in-world items’ owners can be found by "hovering" the mouse over the item).
5. Include the following statement: "I have good faith belief that the use of the copyrighted materials described above and contained on the service is not authorized by the copyright owner, its agent, or by protection of law."
6. Include the following statement: "I swear, under penalty of perjury, that the information in the notification is accurate and that I am the copyright owner or am authorized to act on behalf of the owner of an exclusive right that is allegedly infringed."
7. Sign the paper

Send the written document to the designated Copyright Agent at Linden Research:

Ginsu Yoon
Attn: Designated Copyright Agent
Linden Research, Inc.
1100 Sansome St.
San Francisco, CA 94111

415-243-9000 phone

[email]copyrightagent@lindenlab.com[/email]

Alternatively, fax the document to 415-243-9045. On the cover sheet, please write ATTN: DMCA notifications.

To file a counter-notification:

1. List the in-world items that were removed by the Second Life administrators, and the location at which the material appeared before it was removed. Please identify the object in sufficient detail, and when possible, the UUID.
2. Provide your name, address, telephone number, email address (if available) and a statement that you consent to the jurisdiction of Federal District Court for the judicial district in which you reside (or Santa Clara County, California if your address is outside of the United States).
3. State that you will accept service of process from the person who provided notification to us of the alleged infringement or an agent of such person.
4. State the following: "I swear, under penalty of perjury, that I have a good faith belief that the material identified above was removed or disabled as a result of a mistake or misidentification of the material to be removed or disabled."
5. Sign the paper

Send the written document to the designated Copyright Agent at Linden Research:

Ginsu Yoon
Attn: Designated Copyright Agent
Linden Research, Inc.
1100 Sansome St.
San Francisco, CA 94111

415-243-9000 phone

[email]copyrightagent@lindenlab.com[/email]

Alternatively, fax the document to 415-243-9045. On the cover sheet, please write ATTN: DMCA notifications.

Links:
A summary of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act can be found at:
http://www.copyright.gov/legislation/dmca.pdf

The text of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act can be found here:
http://www.copyright.gov/legislation/hr2281.pdf

More information on copyrights can be found here:
http://lcWeb.loc.gov/copyright

Thats very true and I fear, that it might become a huge problem for Linden Lab, as Second Life gets bigger and more visible.

I very much doubt if "but the other guy did it too" or "but everybody is doing it" will be accepted as an excuse. (That a hypocrite critized it might not be a good excuse either.)

A lot of the clothing designs I like in SL are photosourced jobs. I can understand the dilemma those designers are facing very well. Its the only efficient way to produce clothes that look 'real' fast. But it is still very shaky ground. The only reason that no one has been sued for it so far is possibly that none of the big brands has realized that SL is there at all. And maybe the amount of monetary damage which could be argued in court is too small. That might change.

Well said and I agree.

One might want to note who gets to file DMCA violation notices:

So if I file one about a violation and I am not the copyright owner or their authorized agent I think the violation notice will be a waste of effort.

If your bothered with such infractions it's best to submit the information to LL and let them try to handle the matter.



Mar

*edited*