Stolen images and scams

[TurboKittie]

With all due respect, Rahat, the fact that you chose to use photographs without even so much as asking permission to do so, speaks volumes more about your business and its reputation than any comments posted here could ever possibly do. I am glad you removed the pictures, as they were never yours to use in the first place and you should be ashamed of yourself.

[English Bloke]

Mmmmm... It's easy to say sorry after you are caught with your hands in the biscuit tin. It's your ability to resist the urge to steal the biscuits in the first place that is the measure.

And gratuitous use of photo's of someone else's kids, without even asking for permission too. Down-right Shameful.

[TurboKittie]

In looking at the page, I wonder if any consideration were given to the copyright in using film clips from the 1995 movie "Braveheart" in the opening flash sequence.

If that is indeed the case, I wonder how folks who do actually own those rights feel about that.

[Mark R]

I am very depressed from the peoples who posted comments about my Company.
It can spoil my Company reputation you understand that what I want to say.You can
contact with me directly but you post on online see i have already deleted the pictures. I want to inform the peoples who are dislike our sent Emails about my company and products. Infact its not our purpose to disturb the business of any one or sale the item of any one illegal. For you information i have already deleted the pictures which you point out you can check.
Rahat

Rahat, I, too, run a small business and have a website. With all due respect, the only one who can do irreparable harm to your business is you in my opinion. Your products, your service, and how you conduct your business will determine your reputation on the internet.

That said, with regard to the use of pictures on your site, a reputable business owner either takes his own pictures, pays a photographer to take his pictures, or gets written permission to use pictures belonging to others for his website. Every picture on your site should have been obtained by one of those means unless you are using pictures which are from the public domain.

If you want to conduct an honorable business with a good reputation, I urge you to start by deleting every picture from your website which you do not own or have not obtained permission to use. Using the pictures of others without getting their permission has caused people to question your business ethics. Making sure all of the pictures you use on your website are legitimate will be a good way to show you plan to right the wrong and will answer the concerns people have raised. Your business's reputation is in your hands.

[Mickey]

Deleted by writer

[Rahat]

FRI ..... visit our website all products picture taken in our factory. only these picture used my advertising team don’t have awareness about this sensitive matter which you point .
Rahat

[auld argonian]

Okay...seems like this has been settled somewhat...no sense "piling on" here.

I would, however, think that we should keep this thread as reference next time somebody cites that old "it's better to ask forgiveness than permission" business as an answer to someone else's kilt query.

Best

AA

[Rahat]

Hello friends at X-MARKs-
I want to say first that my English is not good enough to convey the things I want to say, so I have had a friend help me so I can respond properly in a way that I hope will be understandable to you all.
As all of you know, I am the owner of UK EXPO INTL. and have run this company for several years. I am among a handful of Highland suppliers based here in our industrial sector Sialkot, Pakistan. Part of my mission in starting this business was to create a supply base for companies outside of Pakistan to sell Highland goods and accessories that were of upmost quality and design, and also to create a base for designers and artisans to realize their vision creatively through us. I am WELL AWARE of the prejudice against Pakistani goods, and they are not unfounded for most. Junk is junk, and I knew that I could do better. My business was an attempt to at least provide a better standard of item than my peers, who I felt were providing standard junk.
I am also aware of the cheating and scamming that go on, and have always felt that this was , at the heart, one of the worst examples of my peers. I made it my mission to expose and shut down one of the biggest scammers in the Highland market Ferhan Ali who ran "ForwardBagpipe". I relentlessly pursued this man through our Chamber of Commerce and the courts, had him exposed and shut down. You all must understand that doing something like this with a thug can cost you your life here in Pakistan, so that is how serious I took it. He is gone now, as are a couple of other lesser thugs.

Now, about the pictures in the flyer we sent. We use and trust several design houses for creating ads. We base our trust and assumption that images are not stolen, or pulled from other people by the word of our designers. You have to again remember that Pakistan is a young country and we try to live life accordingly to law and value, but the "Gray" area we have socially is sometimes very large. The person who did my ads bought the images from another design group who promised non-copyrighted images. They, inturn, were probably bought the same way from another group. Where they were initially picked up from…..There's the gray area, and we tend not to micro-mange, or vet this things too deeply in Pakistan. The bottom line here is that I would not knowingly do this. About the Braveheart clip in my company intro on the splash page-Again, I payed a designer a lot of money and was assured that it was legal under "fair use" laws. After reading the posts, I will have to remove the clip if this is not the case.

Back to the issue at hand-I am very sorry to stir up the ire of the Amercan/UK Scottish communities over this. You all really must understand the uphill battle I face in this industry-Especially based where I am. I always welcome critique, and if I have done something wrong, then call me out and it so I can correct and improve. That is my goal. I started this company because I knew I could do better than my competitors. I have worked hard to try and establish a base of quality that would live up to western standards. We have a saying in my language-

"Maan na maan main taira mehmaan"
"Whether you like it or not, I am your guest"

This means that I know you are skeptical of me, but I am here-but as a polite guest hoping to win your friendship and trust. That says it all. And if I fall short in this, then you should do the right thing and correct me as you see fit. Contacting me, Skyping me, emailing, etc. Getting one's hand caught in the cookie jar here in Pakistan is sometimes an easy trap without you actually knowing what you are reaching into-Outside critique helps keep you on a straighter path and helps keep you honest in the eyes of the world. Much regards to you all-Rahat

Okay...seems like this has been settled somewhat...no sense "piling on" here.

I would, however, think that we should keep this thread as reference next time somebody cites that old "it's better to ask forgiveness than permission" business as an answer to someone else's kilt query.

Best

AA

[TurboKittie]

Fair use can be tricky, and from what I've read if you're not an educator, or doing a parody, you could have to pay if the owners of the copyright decide they don't agree that what you use is considered fair use. Here is a page written for children regarding what they need to do and even addresses of where to send letters when asking permission to use music or film clips.

The song you've used, is that Granuaile's Dance? Did you pay for the right to use that tune? You realize you cannot do that, don't you? Look here for an idea of what needs to happen before you can use a song like that.

If you want your reputation to mean something, it falls to you make sure you follow through. Don't cut corners, don't rely on the words of others. If you want to use something on your site, you need to make sure you are allowed to do so.

And, coming here to shame others for pointing out your mistakes, especially when you used the photo of a child, wearing a product you do not make on your website really does not speak well on your own behalf or that of your business.

[auld argonian]

Can we just proceed on the assumption that any errors that the fella made were made without malice and try to move on? Like I said, no sense "piling on"...Rahat has tried to explain and we should maybe try to take him at his word. All protests duly noted and, I believe that the fella will try to rectify his mistakes. It was TechDragon that got burned here so it's her call as to whether "honor has been satisfied" at this point.

Sometimes a mistake is just a mistake so can we please try to appeal to the better angels of our nature?

Best

AA