Why do websites watermark images?

[Conor]

I just don't see the point. I understand View images and Getty images watermarking photos, but why fansites and unofficial sites. Perhaps their own work, but it's annoying when you want something and 'SITE X' is plastered all over the picture. I mean, I don't even watermark most banners I make lol

Anyway, anyone like to enlighten me?

[Billy]

I think its because when people get pics off getty etc they dont want them redistributed on another site if they paid for them.

[Stu]

90% of Big Brother websites post THE SAME news and as a result , are identical. As a result their obsessed with getting web traffic at the expense of tarnishing images with logos nobody cares about. Logos of sites people looking at the image already know of , and will still not look up.

So yeah , its the ultimate exercise in being both ignorant and pointless.

Even worse is the dreaded eye flash video that is some how 11 seconds on Youtube because some bejesus bordered it with pointless plugs.

[Nicky.]

I do it because I made this bebo skin for my BB Bebo last year..

and then in like 3 days it was being used on over 60 profiles.. so i went to do some investigating.. x

and 3 Bebo's i found said on them 'I made this skin' and i was like omg no you didn't ! x

So like since the Ive watermarked everything =) x

I dont like go mad though.. I just put Nicky or the URL of my bebo in the corner =) x

[Stu]

Originally posted by Nickyy
I do it because I made this bebo skin for my BB Bebo last year..

and then in like 3 days it was being used on over 60 profiles.. so i went to do some investigating.. x

and 3 Bebo's i found said on them 'I made this skin' and i was like omg no you didn't ! x

So like since the Ive watermarked everything =) x

I dont like go mad though.. I just put Nicky or the URL of my bebo in the corner =) x
Thats absoloutely fine. I think the complaint is against stuff you did NOT make.

Pictures taken by somebody else and released to the press by Channel 4. Yet people stick a bumper sticker on it anyway for some free plugs.

[Nicky.]

Originally posted by Stu
Originally posted by Nickyy
I do it because I made this bebo skin for my BB Bebo last year..

and then in like 3 days it was being used on over 60 profiles.. so i went to do some investigating.. x

and 3 Bebo's i found said on them 'I made this skin' and i was like omg no you didn't ! x

So like since the Ive watermarked everything =) x

I dont like go mad though.. I just put Nicky or the URL of my bebo in the corner =) x
Thats absoloutely fine. I think the complaint is against stuff you did NOT make.

Pictures taken by somebody else and released to the press by Channel 4. Yet people stick a bumper sticker on it anyway for some free plugs.

Ohh right - yea i just re-read what he said.. lol x

Nah i dont usually watermark them x

The only time i watermark pics that arnt mine are when Ive scanned them in from a magazine or newspaper, or when someone else has watermarked it before i got hold of it.. then its just covering up the old watermark lol x

[Sarah.]

I watermark images on my fansites only if the pictures I have exclusively acquired, like took myself, or I have scanned. If I've scanned a magazine or something, I'll only put it in the corner, but say if it's rare, I'll put it in the middle. I just don't like people claiming something is theirs, or they have scanned and distribute to other people.

[Stu]

Scanning probably gets a pass too. After all , you took the effort to scan it in. I still dont agree with it fully , but if its a small watermark , fair play.

Press shots ANYBODY can get a hold of , that are on ALL websites and can be easily obtained WITHOUT watermarks though? Thats just insane. And stupid.

One might say its insupid.

[Nicky.]

Oh - and on Bebo, like if you search for ' Big Brother ' my one is first up.. so - i wont say all - but the majority come along and take all my pics Ive uploaded and got from random places..

and that annoys me too lol - why can't they take there time and go and find them themselves?!!!?? Grr! lol x

[GiRTh]

all the other guys have explained it. They do it so that they ruin any copies that are made.

[Xander]

For instance websites like Getty Images, and all these paparazzi sites watermark their images and put prices on them because they liked to be paid for there efforts of taking the pictures and to prevent other websites stealing them and claim they are there's.

[Stu]

Originally posted by Xander
For instance websites like Getty Images, and all these paparazzi sites watermark their images and put prices on them because they liked to be paid for there efforts of taking the pictures and to prevent other websites stealing them and claim they are there's.
Again I dont think thats the point of the thread. Those people took the pictures. Of course they should be allowed watermark them. Its these independent common as a cold websites that nab press shots anybody can get watermark free and slap a logo on them that irks people off.

Originally posted by Nickyy
Oh - and on Bebo, like if you search for ' Big Brother ' my one is first up.. so - i wont say all - but the majority come along and take all my pics Ive uploaded and got from random places..

and that annoys me too lol - why can't they take there time and go and find them themselves?!!!?? Grr! lol x

In fairness , if you did not make them pictures , you also robbed them from somewhere. So why complain? If it were not for sharing , their would not be any internet in the first place.

[Conor]

Looks like Stu's been holding up the argument for me while I've been away, thanks for that :thumbs::wink:

[Stu]

Originally posted by Conor
Looks like Stu's been holding up the argument for me while I've been away, thanks for that :thumbs::wink:
Just helping out the community :thumbs:.

[Nicky.]

Originally posted by Stu

Originally posted by Nickyy
Oh - and on Bebo, like if you search for ' Big Brother ' my one is first up.. so - i wont say all - but the majority come along and take all my pics Ive uploaded and got from random places..

and that annoys me too lol - why can't they take there time and go and find them themselves?!!!?? Grr! lol x

In fairness , if you did not make them pictures , you also robbed them from somewhere. So why complain? If it were not for sharing , their would not be any internet in the first place.

Very true - but they can go and look on the internet to get them from the same place i found them =) x

[Princess]

A person on the Take That forum put up photos she took of the guys and she found them on eBay about a week later(either as photos or on something-I can't happen).

Its stuff like that why people and websites do it.

[Stu]

Originally posted by Nickyy
Originally posted by Stu

Originally posted by Nickyy
Oh - and on Bebo, like if you search for ' Big Brother ' my one is first up.. so - i wont say all - but the majority come along and take all my pics Ive uploaded and got from random places..

and that annoys me too lol - why can't they take there time and go and find them themselves?!!!?? Grr! lol x

In fairness , if you did not make them pictures , you also robbed them from somewhere. So why complain? If it were not for sharing , their would not be any internet in the first place.

Very true - but they can go and look on the internet to get them from the same place i found them =) x
The people who put them up from where you got them from can say the same thing.

Free pictures always circulate on the net. Are you telling me you have never copied a picture in your life?

If their not yours , you have no right to tell people on bebo not to take them off you really.

Share the love , Jah!

[JJ.]

Sounds like complaining over nothing. I put a 1 second (read, ONE second) sting at the start of videos. The subsequent video is watermark free.

Obviously it's to promote my site, to say it's not would be a lie, but there's no harm in that IMO.

[Conor]

Generally I was talking about pictures. Stu brought up a good point. Most people who look at them are either already on the site or wont think twice about it as they are so common now.