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I Have Been Reinstated at AC!

A Lesson Learned.

By Julie, published Mar 28, 2008
Published Content: 133  Total Views: 75,104  Favorited By: 37 CPs
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Rating: 3.7 of 5
To all of my friends, avid supporters and especially to Associated Content-

I wanted to say that AC has decided to reinstate me after I emailed them my thoughts ,concerns and apologies regarding a photo I posted on an article that I was not supposed to publish last year.

I will admit, I was a new CP back then and I was having fun searching for cool pictures to add to some of my articles here on AC. I wanted to spice them up a bit and add some flair and character to them.

At the time, I had read other CP's articles on AC and saw pictures that other CP's had posted that were not from free photo sites so I thought I was ok. I googled Taco Salad, and found a cool picture, added it to my article, gave credit where credit was due, AC accepted it and they published it. I really didn't get but a few cents of PV off the article as it was a local restaurant review and the article really was a flop!

I never messed with the picture, morphed or tried to change watermarks or trademarks, I just posted it as is. So then several months later, I get an email that I was being banned for copyright infringement on that picture, the owner of the picture contacted AC and demanded it be removed. They removed it, kept the article up and banned me from accessing my account.

After that, my account was still up and running so you could google my pen name and my published articles and I would show up through the search engine and then you could link it back to read my article.

I heard that my story raised some hairs on the forums, and I hope it was a good learning tool for other CP's and also a good wake up call that the little things that seem like "fine lines" are actually serious legal matters. Copyright infringement is no joke. This whole situation has been a HUGE wake up call to me and I wish I would have educated myself more before I published articles with pictures.

Comments
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Looking forward to lots more content from you! ;-)

Posted on 06/05/2008 at 7:06:00 AM

 
I recall when this situation happened, but I didn't know you were back. I'm very happy you are. I decided quite some time back that I would never add pictures with my articles again. Even when trying to follow the rules, one mistake and something like this could happen to anyone. It isn't worth it - especially since finding pictures, adding pictures, and writing captions takes more time.

Posted on 05/17/2008 at 11:05:44 PM

 
Welcome back !!!

Posted on 04/06/2008 at 12:04:46 PM

 
Did I get your blood boiling yet? On a more serious note, I am glad that you are back and hope you start writing again soon! And stay away from pictures! :)

Posted on 04/03/2008 at 10:04:18 PM

 
It is good news that you are back.

Posted on 04/03/2008 at 11:04:42 AM

 
Good for you and us Julz!

Posted on 04/03/2008 at 10:04:02 AM

 
I didn't know you before-but I sure feel like I know you now. Welcome back.Your situation and the info in the forum certainly educated me. Even the pics that are on the "free" sites aren't guaranteed since they could be stolen & we would have no knowledge. I have also realized that even the "permissions" I received from book authors could be challenged by the publishers. So needless to say, I will never use another photo I have not personally taken. Glad you are back and I think your article is very gracious.

Posted on 04/01/2008 at 10:04:50 PM

 
Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so glad you are back for you and for us!

Posted on 04/01/2008 at 4:04:41 PM

 
Welcome back, Julz - I'm glad AC re-instated you! :-)

Posted on 03/31/2008 at 6:03:02 AM

 
Welcome back, Julz! Sorry you had to go through all of that, but we all learned from it as it was indeed quite the topic of conversation in the forum!

Posted on 03/30/2008 at 7:03:50 AM

 
Welcome back Julz! You were definitely missed; you should have seen the floods of posts in that forum after you were banned. A lot of people had your back, that's for sure!

Posted on 03/30/2008 at 5:03:15 AM

 
Welcome back Julz. :-)

Posted on 03/29/2008 at 9:03:50 PM

 
I can't begin to imagine the awful ordeal all of this has been for you, but I'm glad to see that you can publish again on AC. Your banishment did create quite a stir here. Welcome back.

Posted on 03/29/2008 at 1:03:42 PM

 
Welcome back.

Posted on 03/29/2008 at 8:03:59 AM

 
welcome back Julz!!

Posted on 03/29/2008 at 8:03:40 AM

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