Art Thieves Rant

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AsukiSanNMei's avatar
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Normally, I wouldn't have taken the time to write this out, or even risk getting flamed for certain subjects. I would silently handle some of these directly to the point, one on one, and handle it professionally to the intended target.
However, I'm seeing this problem grow, and grow to serious and offensive lengths. This will be a topic about art theft, and I will not sugar coat anything I talk about in this journal, because as grateful as I am for not being the victim of it, many of those that I support and watch, or those that watch me, have been the victim of it, and it truly is violating.
It's a part of you that has been stolen, and used for another's gain. It's criminal just as any physical robbery is, and it is slowly becoming, literally robbery in a true sense of the word.

Robbery= The action of robbing a person or place. The taking of money or goods in the possession of another.

Lately, the craze of adoptables are becoming the victim of serious art theft. Many deviants are taking another artist's work *that they maybe currently selling or have already sold and closed* being auctioned out and sold, sometimes at obscene prices or down right, slap in your face insulting.

I've also seen those who have purchased art rightfully, and by the rules, sell their new pieces, without the original creators knowledge and make more. I do understand some artists/original creators may not mind re-sales, but it is responsible and considerate to inform and respect the original creator, that your intentions for this piece are now changing, so in turn they can update their information.

When the art creates an adoptable with the intention to sell, it's now a product, that product becomes copyrighted and has a new attachment of rules, those that imply that without the consumer legally buying the item, it's theft and depending on how much that item was becomes robbery, and if it's over $50.0 (At least within the state I am currently living in) becomes a felony.

Robbery= The action of robbing a person or place. The taking of money or goods in the possession of another.

Many of the art thefts are also a string of repeat offenders, and those offenders are super fortunate. The original artists have the right to sue the thieves, just as much as companies do when people upload videos on YouTube. However, the original artist, chooses not to; they merely ask the thieves to take down that piece. At best, the thief will, at worst, the don't and then get reported and banned.

The problem today is that the most DA can do is ban, unless it gets to a point where the community becomes aware this is the same individual, they can't IP ban this person.

I can go into huge details, but then this would become a garble to some. What I am trying to convey is that this problem has become serious to the point where it may be best to act more harshly. I know if one of my pieces were taken and stolen and/or used as an adoptable, I would do everything legally. What more can be done is what's up to the Original Artist and the Community itself.

Some ways to avoid this and to protect your work:

Use the DA's Watermark
Use your mark! Place it somewhere where it's difficult to edit! *It makes it easier to spot changes! As well as difficult to edit!
Keep your community informed! I see journals being posted about the incidents and this is a good way to research all the information you receive
It helps browsing all sections of work. I had once seen a piece by a creepy pasta artist copied and not credited, and I was only browsing a random section.


 If you have any suggestions I would love to hear them out. As this will some affect more people...
© 2015 - 2024 AsukiSanNMei
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