IT'S NOT OK TO LINK TO JUST ANY SOURCE WHERE YOU FIND AN IMAGE ON THE WEB

Daily I read some posts with terrific well thought out content, yet I refuse to Upvote  or Comment on them. Why? A quick click on the **_Image Source_** link, shows that the image was swiped from the web from some other website, Google, flickr, a blog, or even a stock photgraphy site etc.! I refuse to help someone make money off an image  from one of my fellow stock photographers who is not making a penny from his/her work through this illegal usage of his/her image. And I refuse to support anyone who does not have enough decency to do the right thing!

I know that much of the Steemit community is happy as long as a source (even mickey Mouse) is listed, but **_it is still image plagiarism to list an incorrect source_**, and it's copyright infringement anyway, and downright illegal! I have heard arguments about Steemit being exempt from copyright laws because it is international in nature! Really? Steemit is a [US based private company](https://www.steem.center/index.php?title=Steemit,_Inc), and as such can be held liable for your irresponsibility! Any lawsuit against those who are using images illegally will affect **_ALL OF US ON STEEMIT!_** 

By swiping images from the web and lazily typing **_Image Source_**, you are not just harming the original creator of the content, you are also potentially harming the **_ENTIRE STEEMIT COMMUNITY!_** So, you are being totally unfair to your fellow Steemians, when you violate the copyright of others on the web! You have no rights to any images unless they are clearly labeled with a Creative Commons license. Even then, there is a specific way that you must give credit to the photographer. I'm sorry if it takes you a few minutes to do this, but if you don't have the time to be doing it right, you should not be using the photography! It takes time and money to make photographs too, and you should respect that!

Even some whales and dolphins are swiping images, but it is a very dangerous game because a whale or a dolphin with a nice fat wallet is more likely to be sued and so spoil it for the rest of  us who are doing things the right way! It's time that you decided to take a stand (you know who you are) and set an example for those new to Steemit, because they come on here and see that you are violating copyright, so they assume that it is OK to follow suit! 

This is an excellent article  called [10 Bogus Excuses To Use A Photo You Found On The Internet](http://francisvachon.com/10-bogus-excuses-to-use-a-photo-you-found-on-the-internet/) by a Canadian photographer. I could not have said it better myself! It has video too, if you prefer to watch it instead of reading!

Also, our own @timcliff posted [this](https://steemit.com/copyright/@timcliff/steemit-news-dmca-claim-for-copyright-infringement) last year to show how vulnerable Steemit is. Next time, Steemit may not be quite as lucky!


This is not the first post I have written about this, and it certainly won't be the last.  Typically, posts about copyright infringement and image plagiarism are not well read or Upvoted upon, because too many want to turn a blind eye, so thanks in advance to all who have bothered to read this post until the end.
![stop image theft.jpg](https://steemitimages.com/DQmVZPR3WHY1FMGCReXJW9Zp6r46LoJ29VVEJcarAnKdSMd/stop%20image%20theft.jpg)
**_Image © Diane Macdonald. All Rights Reserved._**
Camera:Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Lens:EF100mm f/2.8 Macro USM
Exposure: 1/125 sec;   f/11;   ISO 200
Post Processing: Adobe® Photoshop, Adobe® Camera Raw And Topaz Texture Effects

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The following are some past posts I have written about the subject.

[Photo plagiarism – How to avoid it](https://steemit.com/photography/@dmcamera/photo-plagiarism-how-to-avoid-it-original-photography#@dmcamera/re-tattoodjay-re-dmcamera-20171221t234824587z)
[Hey Steemit – Royalty free images are not free images](https://steemit.com/steemit/@dmcamera/hey-steemit-royalty-free-images-are-not-free-images)
[Copyright – What does it have to do with you?](https://steemit.com/copyright/@dmcamera/copyright-what-does-in-have-to-do-with-you)
[New Steemit logo is copyright](https://steemit.com/steemit/@dmcamera/new-steemit-logo-copyright-haiku)
[Stock Photography – Do I have the right to use it on Steemit?](https://steemit.com/philosophy/@dmcamera/stock-photography-do-i-have-the-right-to-use-it-on-steemit)
[Photographers – Let's educate others about correct image usage](https://steemit.com/steemit/@dmcamera/photographers-let-s-educate-users-about-correct-image-usage)
[Steemit – My key to long term success](https://steemit.com/philosophy/@dmcamera/steemit-my-key-to-long-term-success-3-must-know-tips-from-a-newbie)
[Free photography on the web – Where to find it](https://steemit.com/copyright/@dmcamera/free-photography-on-the-web-wher-to-find-it)
[How to avoid copyright violation and image plagiarism – How to effectively use Google Images](https://steemit.com/blog/@dmcamera/how-to-avoid-copyright-violation-and-image-plagiarism-how-to-effectively-use-google-images)






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Thanks for taking the time to read this! I appreciate it. Please check out my photography-101 account here: https://steemit.com/@photography-101 and Follow if you wish. Shortly I will be making all my Photography101 posts from there!
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