Be Original! STOP COPYING!

I created this image a few weeks ago, as I watched a very honorable and well-known artist/designer attacked and lambasted for standing up for herself and her company against copycats. I saw the whole thing unfold, from beginning to end. It was a smear campaign of epic proportions, and took place all over social media.

Click through to read more about this issue and why we all need to STOP it...

In truth, it was like watching a catfight on a junior high school playground - pointless and sickening. As they painted themselves the 'victims' and her 'the huge corporate entity' that was 'greedily taking hard-earned money out of their pockets', I found myself wondering how anyone could agree with them that stealing her ideas and creating and selling copies of her products was in ANY way ok. A lot of people did just that , spurred on by untruths, misdirection, and lies posted everywhere. I still can't answer that.

Truthfully, I could go on (and ON) about that particular scenario, but won't.

Suffice it to say that long-time readers of my blog KNOW my stance on this issue.
I've personally dealt with people copying my product designs, scraping the entire content of this blog to another site to make money on click-through ads, 'borrowing' my content and images for other retail blog posts... it's maddening. And I've talked a lot about it.

I have links below in this post that will help anyone who is dealing with online content theft - including links to other people's posts about the subject of creative and intellectual theft.

As part of several online groups of professional designers, artisans, and creative types, I hear about instances of copycatting and theft every.single.day. It can be disheartening... but we still have to fight it with all we are worth. We still have to stand up for ourselves and others, for our designs and creations, for our creative rights, and do all we can to stop the thieves and copycats. When we stand TOGETHER, we can accomplish more.

I encourage you to check out some of the links posted below to learn more.... and please share. We need to join together, get the word out, and let people know that this isn't right.

http://poppytalk.blogspot.com/2010/12/sidetrack-cafe-no-4-what-happened-to.html

http://poppytalk.blogspot.com/2010/12/in-support-of-authenticism.html

http://poppytalk.blogspot.com/2010/12/sidetrack-cafe-no-4-new-magic-part-iii.html

http://hummadeedledee.blogspot.com/2010/01/enough-is-enough.html

http://nobitingwolfie.blogspot.com/2010/12/drawing-line-on-design-theft.html

http://alwaysupward.com/blog/ripping-off-designs-is-just-not-cool-or-legal-or-acceptable-period/

http://natashaburns.blogspot.com/2012/07/copying-image-theft-copyright-and-sort.html

http://.http//www.etsy.com/teams/7722/business-topics/discuss/10601489/

http://www.ornamentalist.net/2012/02/top-5-policies-that-will-make-your-blog.html

http://www.roniloren.com/blog/2012/7/20/bloggers-beware-you-can-get-sued-for-using-pics-on-your-blog.html

http://www.themomwrites.com/2012/05/authentic-blogging.html

http://www.helpinahurryllc.com/countering-copycats/