_{This article is my latest journal, but so many people asked me to submit it as a news article, so this is for them. I may well be preaching to the choir, so to speak.}


It has come to my attention that too many stock artists and photo manipulators are unaware of CEA policy regarding what they can and can not do with stock resources, despite the fact that there have been several bulletins made by the CEA team in the past.

You can not under ANY circumstance download stock from Sxc.hu, manipulate it, and upload it as stock here as a pre-made stock background for others to use. This is not only a violation of deviantArt policy, but a violation of Sxc.hu's user policy as well.



Don't believe me?

Did you know that Sxc.hu has a license on every one of their images placed there by the image owner instructing you on how the image may be used? Let's take a look, shall we?


Here is a lovely image that I can almost guarantee has been ripped and redistributed: [link]

Under the image itself, you see three things: The image ID, "add to lightbox" and "View Image License".

Click: 'View image license'.

Under (in bold, mind you) You May Not Use the Image are found the following words:

You may not use the Image

* For pornographic, unlawful or other immoral purposes, for spreading hate or discrimination, or to defame or victimise other people, sociteties, cultures.
* To endorse products and services if it depicts a person.
* In a way that can give a bad name to SXC or the person(s) depicted on the Image.
* As part of a trademark, service mark or logo.
* SELLING AND REDISTRIBUTION OF THE IMAGE (INDIVIDUALLY OR ALONG WITH OTHER IMAGES) IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN! DO NOT SHARE THE IMAGE WITH OTHERS!

In short, and in black and white, it says DO NOT SHARE THE IMAGE WITH OTHERS. Manipulated stock made from sxc.hu and reuploaded here is STRICTLY forbidden. Not only by dA, but you can see this here too.


Now, let's look at a different kind of license:

[link] Isn't this a lovely tree?

Anyway, directly under the photo you can see the same license information link. Click and read. ALSO under the all-important "AVAILABILITY" tab, you can see that the artist must -gasp- be notified, just as if you were crediting and notifying someone on dA.

Now, if you use stock from any of these places, PAID OR NOT, you still have to abide by their rules. And if you upload it here on deviantArt without proper credits (as dA REQUIRES) you can expect to have your work removed.

It's time to clean this place up and restore a little faith in the integrity of dA, or as my dad used to stay "Straighten up and fly right".

Here are some important faq's so you know I'm not just blowing steam around:

FAQ #217: What are "Stock Photos" and can I use "Stock Photos" in my submissions?

An excerpt: Please remember to follow all terms and conditions which might be attached to the stock by the provider. Some of the more common terms are non-commercial use only and a requirement to link back to the stock provider but terms can vary greatly so be certain to check.

Failure to obey all of the required Terms and Conditions or License requirements attached to the stock may result in the removal of your submission

Celebrity photos are covered in there as well.

FAQ #193: How do I prove that I had permission to use someone's work?

What do you do if you and a friend both provide resources and you have their permission to manipulate stock and submit it? This is the faq for you.

KEEP IN MIND: Many artists are unaware of these policies, so reminding them nicely or linking them to news articles might enlighten them. Sometimes they have difficulty understanding English, or they just do what they see everyone else doing. Note them, inform them, and if that doesn't work? Report them. Most people don't even realize what they are doing is wrong.

The following are links to previous articles that touched on this issue:

CEA Policy on Pornography, Erotica, and Legitimate Stock Resources

This important article tells us about what deviantArt considers pornography and LEGITIMATE stock resources. It instructs stock users on how to properly credit your resources on deviantArt, and how to not get your work removed for improper credits. Saying "sxc.hu" is not a credit. You must link to the actual image.

CEA Policy on Legitimate Stock Resources, Proper Crediting, and Redistribution.

This article focuses on what is a legitimate resource for stock and what is not. It also discusses how you cannot redistribute stock photos that are not your own. Even if purchased or used from sxc.hu, you CAN NOT upload them here as stock, manipulated or not.

NO one is exempt, no matter how popular they may be.

Stock Artists: Don't Do it. Go through your gallery and delete that which is not entirely yours.
Stock Users: Go through your galleries and check to be sure that all of your deviations contain legitimate sources. "Everyone else is doing it!" is no excuse for violating copyright. _{(Some irony here, many artists that rip or improperly credit their images have at least one statement telling art thieves to "Respect My Copyright!")}


Apart from my very serious article, happy creating everyone and Happy Holidays! (whichever holiday it is you celebrate )

-=lindowyn-stock