Morning Meditation

Yesterday there was an incident where a FB user posted an the altered version of the Widespread Oak Mountain poster  to their personal Facebook page. They also posted it as their cover photo. When I asked them to remove the altered image they became passive-aggressive abusive, even at one point resorting to veiled threats in private messages.  I referred them to my attorney. I was in no way abusive. I simply told them in no uncertain terms to remove the stolen altered image. I assume me calling them an "art thief" after their refusal to remove the image was considered abusive. So be it.

They reported me to FB and I received notice this morning that I have been blocked from posting to my personal account. Due to FB taking this action, until the matter is resolved, I'll be posting through my blogger account.

I use FB as a vehicle to interface with my fans, friends, collectors and family. People post my art all the time. I have absolutely no problem with that. Share away, critique, whatever! I do have a problem with someone altering the art, especially high profile licensed pieces, and using it for their own purposes. I also have an obligation as an artist who produces licensed work to adamantly protect those copyrights for myself and my clients.

Yesterday is a prime example of one of the many things wrong with FB's social network. So, if protecting my copyrights is abusive, block me. FB can ban me if they feel it necessary. It will not change my mind on the matter. I will not cater to someone's crushed ego because they abused my copyright obligations, mocked my request to remove the image and got called out out as a intellectual property thief in return.

Due to this I'm going to consider the extent I will be using Facebook in the future. At the moment, I'm waiting to see how FB legal handles this. My reply to the "abuse report" was filed this morning. I have nothing to hide and everything was well documented.

...ahhhhh, the inkernets, and so it goes. There is still a smile on my face today.

First world problems, indeed.

Be Safe. Play nice.