They can copy the picture to their computer then download it onto Facebook and then share it anyway they want. Not sure what you can do about stopping that. My niece gave me a flower picture she took and that is how she told me to get it off her web site

Susan, you may have noticed that on the vast majority of photos posted online, you can right-click on them and from the popout menu choose "Save image as..." But there are some sites on which you simply don't have that option -- it's been disabled. Unfortunately, there is always a work-around, and if someone is determined enough, they will find a way to save the image. Also, folks can take a screen shot, even if the right-click option is disabled.

Most folks will say that about the only option you have is to put a watermark on the photo, and only post low-resolution images.

General info on photos

Here is a link that might be useful: info

Thanks, guys. All my posted images are low-resolution with watermarks. The watermarking is iffy protection . . . I'm reluctant to plaster one across the photo, so mine are on the bottom. But even those that cover the image can be removed by someone if they really want to do it.

I do know about the "Save As" option--in fact, I use it all the time with photos my family posts on FB, saving them for my own collection. :-)

I was just wondering if there's any way around the shift I've observed in Facebook's privacy settings. Maybe FB feels if I allow my friends to see something, that gives the friends the right to do with it as they see fit. But I know it wasn't always that way.

A detour - if you post photos on Twitter, you give up your rights to that image. They can use it any way they see fit. I think FB is the same(??) Anyone know the photo policy here at GW?
Sounds like your image was copied and shared by someone else (not just sharing a link to it). Is that within FB policy? Is the new poster giving credit to where the photo came from? Is someone else possibly posting the same photo (not a copy)? Can you positively identify the new post as being your photo? Do you know the person posting it? Re-read any new FB policy.

The photo policy at GW, as I remember it, states that if you post a picture here they have the right to do whatever they want with it. When that came down I stopped posting photos here very often.

Facebook does not have a policy like that. If they did, I wouldn't be posting with such abandon. I have plans for many of those pictures.

Nope, they were actual shares. I received notifications from FB that these friends had shared my pictures, and that's how I knew about it. When I checked, I found that my name was on there as the original poster. FB does that automatically. In addition, all my images are watermarked with my copyright.

I don't blame my friends. They felt the images were worth sharing, and that's very nice. I just think FB is screwing up. You're right--I'll have to look into the current policy, which may have changed.

Susan, it just enforces the reasons not to post pictures online. I post very few family pictures for that reason.

Moni

And I've missed seeing Allison and Nathan, Moni! I thought about asking you for an updated picture or two, but figured you probably had a reason (like this one) for not posting.

I know what you mean, and I don't disagree with you. But photography is my thing, and my father's photographs in particular have quite a following on FB. I'd like to get a grant to exhibit some of them. I've been wanting to post a few of them here because it's been awhile (and I will do that soon), but I resent GW's photo policy.

Have you asked your friends not to share the photos? If you had, I'd be very upset with then in your shoes.

No, I never asked them not to share. I didn't think it was necessary, because up till now FB prevented others (including their friends) from seeing my pictures.

Susan, I usually quickly delete pictures I post here.

Just for you.. ;)

{{!gwi}}

Aw....thank you, Moni! So sweet.

They could be in the German Alps. Sort of. :-)

Sorry, I'm seeing that FB has the rights to use any photo. As far as your "private" question, maybe they have changed things, and you merely have to go in and change your settings(?) No personal experience here with FB.
Thanks for the GW tip on photos. But deleting a photo from a post may not help. The photo is uploaded to their server, and they still have it. You've only removed the ability for people to see it in that post(??) Would one 'assume' that posting a link to a photo is different? (it has not been uploaded to GW) Obviously an extra step for the viewer to see it, which many people won't bother with.

The snipping tool on all computers makes it ALWAYS possible to copy/save/share ANY picture that appears on the internet. I am pretty sure Facebook is clear--if you post ANYTHING they are not responsible for what gets "shared" where. I would think the breach of security on charge cards lately would be enough caution but here goes. WHAT EVER you post, write,do business on the Internet has the potential of being stolen, misused, shared WHERE EVER WHENEVER someone else wants to take and spread it around. The internet is in no way a PRIVATE SECURE mode of communication. NOT EVER!!! Anyone believing otherwise has been duped. EVERYTHING ever posted through the Internet is still out there and will be FOREVER. If your pictures are that "private", DON'T PUT THEM ON THE INTERNET!!

Gee, Arcy, you really have to learn to come out of your shell. LOL

Seriously, though, there are exceptions to what you say. Some of the better image-storing sites, for instance.

Alisande, just a heads up - Facebook has the same conditions that most websites do. Anything you post on their site gives them the right to use it. And they especially note that anything of yours that is shared by others gives them that same right even if you delete your account:

"1 For content that is covered by intellectual property rights, like photos and videos (IP content), you specifically give us the following permission, subject to your privacy and application settings: you grant us a non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use any IP content that you post on or in connection with Facebook (IP License). This IP License ends when you delete your IP content or your account unless your content has been shared with others, and they have not deleted it."

Not sure what subject to your privacy settings means, but the comment about sharing might give you pause.

Here is a link that might be useful: Facebook Terms

I guess it's easy enough to say after the fact, but if I was putting the photos out there, even restricted to viewing by authorised people, I would have typed above the photos, "Please do not share or reproduce these photos in any way without my explicit and expressed permission". As has been pointed out, those determined enough will find a work-around.

It makes me crazy when people download and share my pictures without my permission. Family always asks me first and I'll always allow it if it's a picture of them or their kids. I've seen one of my pictures on Instagram! When I confronted the person who posted it (my kids friend) she claimed it was a picture she took of a picture in her "friends office". I emailed her my copyrighted picture that I took 2 years earlier and demanded she remove it, as she said it was hers! When she didn't, I reported it to instagram. She rarely if ever puts any pictures on Instagram anymore. For a while there, I copyrighted my pictures by putting a watermark on all my pictures. You may have to do that. BTW, I love all your pictures on FB!

Thank you, Debby. That makes me happy, and I enjoy yours too. I've been putting my watermark on every one of my pictures--even those nobody could possibly want. ;-) That will have to do it, as I enjoy sharing them too much to give it up just yet.

I'm glad you confronted the person who put your photo on Instagram!

I think Shutterfly may offer better privacy. You send a link to those you wish to share photos with. I'm not sure, it may be that the links can be passed around.

If you think an image needs to be protected from unauthorized use, don't put it onto the internet or send a copy to anyone. There's no work-around for most sites, you surrender rights by uploading the images. Most of the time neither the sites nor you is likely to make money from the image anyway, so the need for "protection" may be questionable.

Duplicate submission deleted. Sorry.

This post was edited by snidely on Sun, Feb 9, 14 at 20:36

Most of the time neither the sites nor you is likely to make money from the image anyway, so the need for "protection" may be questionable.

I can always count on you for a supportive comment, Snidely. I agree the market is rather saturated, but in this case you really don't know enough about me or my work in photography to make a judgment call.

If you think an image needs to be protected from unauthorized use, don't put it onto the internet or send a copy to anyone.