Thieves, Teens, and a lacks signup process oh MY!

If ever Linden Lab needed proof of the need for the dismissal of their lacks signup policies - look no more. I was sent photos and information from the teen grid...LET ME CLEAR THIS UP THIS WAS NOT ME SO DO NOT BAN ME FOR SAYING TEEN GRID. Ignorance is bliss - so while I am glad I know w0t was going on - I almost wish I didn't.

A teen resi named Brenda arnett - the first letter of the name (which is the letter after A in the alphabet) has been changed to protect the accused) has stolen my work, along with Janie Marlowe's and Nyte Caligari's. Attached is the picture I was sent - as well as the original ad for the items. She even contends (to those in the Teen Grid) she knows she's stealing and from the MG too - but it's all "photosourcing" so does it matter?

Yes it does, you little puke.

This is my original ad:
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h319/dazzlegurl/AvareFullAd.jpg

This is her pirate of my work:
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h319/dazzlegurl/untitled.jpg

These are my original textures beside of her crapass ad:
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h319/dazzlegurl/FlexiRipoff.jpg

I really don't know why I posted here other than I am so pissed off I am tempted to just rip my stores up and knock Inna off the map.

I make things because I love to make things. There's no other reason. I don't ask that the money she made get returned or taken. And I'm not screaming because of that. I'm upset because I spent hours making those things. I learned Lightwave (thanks to Lo Jacobs and Nephilaine Protagonist), for f***'s sake. Just to make shiny things shinier and prettier. Because I love this platform.

I've met so many amazing customers. So many amazing people. And I've gotten to share something of myself with thousands of people I'd never have met before this - all in hopes of throwing some of my own fashion ideas out there.

I love my customers - I know most of you. Many of you I call my friends.

A friend of mine recently announced to her friends she was no longer designing because of the rampant theft across TG and MG. And I understand why. Naysayers try to screech that we're all greedy cows and it's all about money. But it's not.

It's that some jackass monkeyfu***ng retarded skank ho dorksauce uber *itch shi*-eating cousin-*ucking rat bastard profiteering son of a biscuit-eating inbred STREETWALKER can come along and just TAKE WHAT YOU MADE. And claim it as HERS.

If you intercept her textures, they directly line up with mine. And there's a watermark.

This isn't anything new. Elika, Zyrra, Hosequeen, Nyte, Janie, Lost, Ambyance2, Starley (Starbacca ROFL), they're the tip of the iceberg.

Happy fourth Linden Lab. Because on the fifth? You get a call from me. And it isn't going to be happy.

And I want the rest of you who've been ripped off to call, too. I don't care if you feel like it won't help. If enough of us need things to change - they HAVE TO CHANGE. Without the architects, skinners, clothiers, hairdressers, tecchies, and dreamers in SL - what would be the point of owning land? buying Linden? having an account? EXACTLY.

Let's work together to stop this now.

I'm so, so, sorry this happened.

Ginny is one of my dear friends and I have never really seen how close it hits the heart when someone rips you off -- it sounds cruel, but I haven't.

I bet most of you haven't really given it a thought. It's just pixels, right? Therefore it doesn't count as much.

It is just fucking pixels, but it's also time, and vision, and art, art for art's sake. No one gets this far designing without truly loving what they do.

It's an extremely personal feeling. Imagine painting a beautiful masterpiece. And then having someone else copy it and claim it as theirs.

And then having someone else say, "Sorry, we can't do anything about it. But we still expect you to create things so we can market to other people. Cheers!"

Where's the logic there?

People may call this a "game" -- and for the most part it is -- but it is also a canvas, with an audience -- and it's a damn crying shame that these things are allowed to happen, with no clear repercussions. You guys suck. All of y'all.

Did you file the DMCA or whatever that is that let's you file a legal complaint against this person?

It never ends....

Only one can imagine what other things are on the teen grid from the main grid being sold without consent of the original creator.

You know when I was a teen, I was too busy with school work and such...maybe since it's summer time they have a lot of free time. Don't parents send their kids to summer camp anymore??

Ugh...Ginny, sorry that this has happened to you. I'm sure there are tons more designers with stuff being stolen and sold on the TG that don't know it yet.

Hopefully Nyte's question in Second Life Answers will actually get answered and there will be a way for content creators to file DMCA claims or whatever they are for offenses on the teen grid.

whoa, looks like she got Keiki's HUDDLES too

I'm sorry this happened too Ginny. That certification process for MG designers needs to be done as soon as possible so legitimate business people can sell to teens and put the scammers out of business!

Wow, thieves are not only adults but their wayward teenagers too? Prolly runs in the family. This is getting really sad.

I am sorry that this happened to you. As a recent victim of texture and structure theft, I feel your pain and wish you the best.

Hugz,
Mad

Nah that's a snapshot I took from in world (main grid)....with a pic that was sent to Nyte and she put on a prim.

Edit: capitalized "I" and the "N" in Nyte...for fear of the forum grammar and spell-checker

Ah Ginny, I am sorry this has happened. I have admired and loved your work for so long and it really makes me furious someone would flat out rip you off and then brag about it as well.





Now that is some quality name calling...love it!

I've tried to contact LL about this issue. No one can give me a straight answer as to *how* the MG residents are supposed to file DMCA claims against TG residents since we cannot go there to see ourselves what is being stolen. The really crappy part about this all... the only evidence we have is screenshots. Hopefully that's enough for LL to take at least some sort of action.

Oh no.
Ginny, that sucks, how awful for you and for all the other designers this is happening to. It's dissapointing and infuriating.

One thing to keep in mind, though...
The one thing we creators have going for us is this: We own the mold.
They can steal your maps all day, but they cant steal talent. They can't steal discipline. They can't steal motivation. They can't steal inspiration.
If you are feeling a little low in any of these areas because of this, stop and take a few deep breaths...because they can only take those things from you if you give them permission to.
If they suceed in impacting any of the above, not only have they stolen from you, they are *winning*. To hell with THAT.
These are things that they just simply *cannot have*, and as hard as they may try, they CANNOT take them.

I agree there should be some white-heat phone action on this. Nyte, you raise an excellent point- how do we defend ourselves when we aren't even able to verify?
That deserves an answer.
What would LL have us do in this situation? What's the ideal action to take to get this resolved, and these items OFF the teen grid?

We hear a lot of talk about certification of some kind for uploaded images, better permissions and protections. But nothing, and I mean n o t h i n g, has materialized.
What gives? What's the plan? A little less silence on the subject, and a little more information that we can sink our teeth into, please LL...

Hey,

Sorry this happened to you

LL won't do anything unless you file a stupid DMCA act, even then its hard to get them to remove it... They don't care about the property of their residents or their feelings, when infact we are the ones who keep second life alive and LL running.

Without residents.. Second life is nothing.

I hope they make some changes in the next few months regarding property rights and copyright, or we will be entering into a deeper hole.

Instead of improving the game with new features to make us "Forget" about the issues that is going on in-world today, they should focus on what is important, keeping the residents happy, specially when this virtual world depends on the creativity of its residents to stay online.

When you talk to a linden, its like they are programmed, they press a F-key and its the same thing, "File a abuse report and a DMCA act paper, and linden lab will take care of it"
Bullshit.

Anyways again, sorry this happend

Should make a vote thing, and let everyone vote, if it has at least 500 votes they will look into it. ( Thats what they said)

If everyone feels this way they would post their votes..

Even though LL broke their own system of voting, you can make now as many avatars as you want, and vote for stuff.

Before taking any action they have to tell you to file an Abuse Report. It's in the interal policing that are public. If you want the notecard, just IM me.

I am also very sorry to hear this happened. But truth be told, it's not only happening on the teen grid, its happening on the main grid too!

I do a lot of exploring and shopping. Many of you would be shocked and surprised at the designs that are being copied by many of our residents.

Clothing, shoes, hair , etc. I've seen them all copied and on sale through out the grid. When this is brought to the attention of Linden employees, all they say is ... file a DMCA.

This is unnaceptable.

This is LL's platform. They can, and should do more.

If an obviously copied design is brought to the attention of LL, and it can be proved that the item was obviously copied from the original because the copier made no effort to inject the slightest amount of originality to the copied design, then LL SHOULD do something about it.

Under these circumstances, we shouldn't be told to go through a legally draining process to protect our designs. This is LL's platform. They should be able to do more to protect the designers who are contributing to the success of their platform.

LL should make it clear to all residents, that if you are caught copying a design, and it is such an obvious copy of the original that there is no question it was copied, then that individual who is so devoid of talent and imagination that he/she has to resort to stealing and profiting from others talent and ingenuity, should be made to pay for their lack of integrity and underhandedness.

I apologize in advance for being so straightforward on this issue. Its just that this really upsets me. I have no sympathy for individuals who cannot put forth the effort of being creative and original and coming up with their own designs, rather than resorting to stealing others creations and having the nerve to profit from them ... AS IF THE DESIGN CREATIONS WERE THEIR OWN!

Please do something about these bottom feeders.

LL can't even follow their own rules on something as insignificant as forum behaviour, so why does it surprise you that they're impotent when it comes to something as serious as ripping off someone else's work, reselling it for their own profit, and damaging your work and reputation in the process?

Not only that, you can add making people not want to bother to create stuff for other residents any more, and when content in SL dries up... theres nothing left to do.

I love the game.... but despair of the company running it. If only they'd listen to the residents instead of faffing about with "progressive management" and all that other crap. There is a reason many companies follow 'traditional methods' - because they work, and are proven to.

Given six months and a free rein, I am quite sure I could turn Linden Lab and Second Life around, make this game fun again, and sort out many of the problems. Philip might have qualifications and a reputation, but I have day-to-day experience in-world which is worth far more.

Lewis

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