[SS-Traveller]

An automotive website called Indiandrives.com has plagiarized multiple photographs of mine, of a Volvo XC90 from this thread, and posted them without permission here: Volvo XC90 in India, Volvo XC90 test drive, Volvo XC90 price in India. I have written to them (posted both a comment below the article as well as filled a "Contact Us" form) about the same.

What action can be taken against this?

[arvi86]

I just checked their website. If I am not wrong, they have posted the entire gallery of yours as if they have test driven the vehicle.

My advice would be, henceforth post all photos in this forum with a watermark. To make sure that the actual photo is not spoiled, you can make the watermark a little transparent. In this day and age, we need to do things like these to protect our work from being copied. BTW, did you get any apologies from them for this act?

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by arvi86

...did you get any apologies from them for this act?

No response from them yet - awaiting the same. Detected the incident just this evening.

[selfdrive]

Thats not fair practice, but I guess thats what people are stooping to these days. I checked the article, but it seems like they have either blocked or removed your comment.
Good luck with the follow up!

[MudMover]

I stumbled across your review of the XC90 and loved it. And then I heard about the pics being copied. Became , went to the website and saw that the article is written by a fellow native. So I did what we Mallus do best in such situations... left him the choice-est of Mallu gallis in the comments section. Ahhh! the feeling is priceless because we are zimply like this wonlee, No?

[download2live]

Can't you sue them for a fat amount of money?
Legal experts please chip in. Will it take forever in our courts in cases like this also??

[noopster]

Ignore them dude. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Be flattered and move on. Who give's a rat's after sales service about indiadrives anyway!

[rajinibm]

Any form of legal action would take forever!

I tried to leave a comment in their site on the same but it didnt show up!

Second Noopster to take it with a pinch of salt and move on!

OT: Guess this Indiadrives site would get very high traffic today with T-BHP members accessing through this thread!It was 42 visitors when I was at Indiadrives checking out the above!

[prateekm]

I don't think he might reply to the contact email, why not call him up directly?

Here are the WHOIS details:

Registrant:
Rikhav Infotech

12-296, Jaikisan Bldg, Pantnagar
Ghatkopar-East
Mumbai, Maharashtra 400604
India

Registered through: GoDaddy.com, Inc. (Domain Names, Web Hosting and SSL Certificates - Go Daddy)
Domain Name: INDIANDRIVES.COM
Created on: 21-Oct-10
Expires on: 21-Oct-11
Last Updated on: 21-Oct-10

Administrative Contact:
Sarvaiya, Bhavik bhavik@rikhavinfotech.com
Rikhav Infotech
12-296, Jaikisan Bldg, Pantnagar
Ghatkopar-East
Mumbai, Maharashtra 400604
India
Contact: 912225837777

[thedreamcatcher]

Even I checked the website, but did not find any comments at all. They have taken quite a bit of photos. I think thats the reason it makes sense to always have the teambhp water mark on the photos, if not watermarks created by you.

Without any proper water marks, it becomes publicly available content on the net, unless teambhp has a clause somewhere that says even unmarked photos cant be used. I doubt it has.

Lawyers on this forum, your comments would enlighten us on this

[gshanky]

Inaction could be the biggest crime. You should do what you can if you can't do what you must. I suggest to at least make a complaint(not sure where? police station?). Or if I had money - I'll put an Advertisement in a magazine praising the Indian Drives author for obvious reasons

[v&v]

Doc,
This is a traditional copy paste of images by the web developer. Its very common activity of image coping. IPR is still very week india. All you can ask them is to remove or acknowledge the photo source. Also do save their website page as pdf or screen shot as most of the time these guys will simply remove the pages as if nothing has happened.

[Ravveendrra]

Below is my comment on the web-site, probably will never see the light of day!

Let me see if I can find them on FB, Twitter etc. Time to let the world know what losers they are.

Great review and superb pictures. Unfortunately copied from SS-Traveller of Team BHP.com!!
What losers.
Cheers,

[alpha1]

I don't think its site owner's mistake.
The writer Lijo Mathai should be held responsible.
How can some pix that are not taken by them land up on their site ...

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by rajinibm

Second Noopster to take it with a pinch of salt and move on!

OT: Guess this Indiadrives site would get very high traffic today with T-BHP members accessing through this thread!It was 42 visitors when I was at Indiadrives checking out the above!

Not doing anything is not an option.

Incidentally the website is not opening on my browser this morning.

Originally Posted by prateekm

I don't think he might reply to the contact email, why not call him up directly?

Here are the WHOIS details:

Thank you. Will send an email today.

Originally Posted by MudMover

Became , went to the website and saw that the article is written by a fellow native. So I did what we Mallus do best in such situations... left him the choice-est of Mallu gallis in the comments section. Ahhh! the feeling is priceless because we are zimply like this wonlee, No?

Originally Posted by thedreamcatcher

I think thats the reason it makes sense to always have the teambhp water mark on the photos, if not watermarks created by you.

The Team-BHP watermarks have been cropped out. Never expected pics of a 2007 model's pics to be stolen and fobbed off as those of a current model.

Originally Posted by v&v

Also do save their website page as pdf or screen shot as most of the time these guys will simply remove the pages as if nothing has happened.

Done that already.

Originally Posted by Ravveendrra

Below is my comment on the web-site, probably will never see the light of day!

Let me see if I can find them on FB, Twitter etc. Time to let the world know what losers they are.

Thank you!

Originally Posted by alpha1

I don't think its site owner's mistake.
The writer Lijo Mathai should be held responsible.
How can some pix that are not taken by them land up on their site ...

All involved parties are responsible.