Stolen Art , In-house Adverts

[Barnstorm]

It appears a company advertising here on CFF among other places is alleged to be profiting from artists without licence. 
 

Quite the chain of ownership all resulting in products directly from China. 
 

Photo: Jordan Perkins

The unauthorized use of artwork and images stolen off of the internet is rampant.

That's according to Coldstream artist Jordan Perkins, who found out one of his pieces of art was being copied and printed on a T-shirt that was being sold online.

When Perkins was informed his artwork was being used on shirts sold by Temu, he was shocked to see the artwork he had created being used without his knowledge or consent.

“Someone sent me a picture and said I just got your painting on a T-shirt and I love it,” Perkins said. “I was like, 'Wow that is a stolen image, I don't sell those.'”

Perkins posted on Facebook claiming Temu had stolen his artwork, and within a couple of days he was contacted by dozens of artists who said they had the same thing happen to them.

“It is just rampant,” Perkins said.

Comparing his artwork and a picture of a shirt on the Temu website, Perkins said there are no “ifs, ands or doubts that this was stolen.”

An internet search turns up lots of information on Temu, most if which is not good.

According to Wikipedia, Temu is an online marketplace based in Boston, Mass. and operated by an Ireland-based Chinese e-commerce company PDD Holdings. With heavy advertising, it offers heavily discounted goods which are mostly shipped to consumers directly from China. Temu has been involved in lawsuits with competing companies and has also faced disputes about product quality and copyright infringement.

Perkins said Temu is undercutting the competition, and even if he did sell his artwork on T-shirt, he could not possibly sell them for the price being offered by the Chinese company.

So what can artists like Perkins do to stop the theft?

At the moment, not much.

“You are buying stolen property,” said Perkins, who is doing what he can to make people aware of the situation.

Perkins reached out to Temu with his concerns and was sent a link where he could file a complaint, but he questioned the safety of the link and providing the company with information.

Taking legal action is not possible.

“I can't afford to get a lawyer to fight a giant corporation,” he said.

One person suggested Perkins send an invoice for using the image, but he has doubts as to how effective that would be.

[D.B Cooper]

That was formatted ridiculously so I won’t be reading the OP.  
BUT

i will say I’ve noticed some hilarious ads. 
Sex toys, body suits for incredibly curved women.  
Sexist tshirts.   
 

It’s hilarious. 

[elvis15]

Yeah, the ads are served by Google so you're better off flagging it with them than getting any recourse with Temu. Taking down their ads hurts their business. But I don't buy anything that gets shown to me in those ads knowing their from China (or their drop shipped from AliExpress or you won't get them at all).

[Toni Zamboni]

ublock ftw

[Satchmo]

1 minute ago, Toni Zamboni said:

ublock ftw

True, but that won't put an end to the sad fact that China makes millions (billions?) from theft and that the CCP does not seem to care or put any effort into stopping it.   

[Barnstorm]

Probably impossible to fight to stop it. Article details how this particular artist had all but given up. 
Frustrating that China and its government is profiting off the backs of a Canadian artist without any recourse. 
 

Nothings sacred or respected these days. 

[Ribs]

I can blacklist certain ads from appearing - which I'll try to do with the ones posted here.

[Barnstorm]

12 minutes ago, Ribs said:

I can blacklist certain ads from appearing - which I'll try to do with the ones posted here.

That’s great. Every little bit helps lessens the profit. 
 

Just to reiterate, the article details “Temu” as allegedly ripping off the Canadian artist. 

[JoeyJoeJoeJr. Shabadoo]

4 hours ago, Ribs said:

I can blacklist certain ads from appearing - which I'll try to do with the ones posted here.

I've had a couple of odd looks from the girlfriend while browsing the forum, so thanks for this.