Content Thieves!

Unrelated to Maison Newton, I've been involved in a website of an entirely different type for 13 years now - Goddesschess.  During our time online, we've had things stolen from us without either suitable credit to or a link back to the original source.  It's very difficult to track thieves down, if you can, and it takes a lot of time -- and that was back in the "early" days of the internet when people weren't as "sophisticated" as they are now about copying your work and covering their trails.  Ultimately, there isn't much one can do, particularly with content thieves from another country.  You can email, you can write, you can complain to hosts.  And usually nothing is ever done.

So, now, whenever something of ours (original written content by us or our contributors, original artwork and graphics) is hijacked, if we find out about it (and we usually do, sooner or later), we publicize the theft.  Thieves usually don't like that very much.

Anyway, I am writing about this because of a post I came across at Addicted 2 Decorating blog -- it was at (I think) one of the recent parties I visited at one of the decorating blogs I visit regularly, but for the life of me now I cannot remember which one.  Ach, been trying to track down where I saw it but now I can't find it, only the link to the actual post itself that I emailed to myself because I intended to write about it here.  Doh, Jan.  Here's the link to the original post from Addicted 2 Decorating.  It's enough to make your eyeballs boil! 

The post has generated lots of comments and sympathy from around the web.  I hope that Pinterest acts quickly to take down the page (or whatever it is called) with the stolen images and Kristi Linauer's incredible idea to make a fantastic wreath (it is stunning - take a look at the original post for her actual copyrighted photos and instructions).  I don't have anything here worth stealing, thank Goddess! 

We all need to speak out against this sort of thing when it happens to us and to others when we find out about it.  And I hope holy hell is breaking lose on Pinterest right now against the THIEF OR THIEVES!