How to deal with Impersonation?

PrinceMark · 01-23-2007, 05:30 PM

Hi!

My first created thread here on the CC forums, and I am looking for a little help.

I have recently been the victim of impersonation for my Vaan costume. As some person on MySpace is using my cosplay.com photos and pretending to be me :O

Now, never thinking this could happen before I have never protected my images, or similar in anyway. As this is has seemingly never happened to a UK cosplayer before we are all rather...at loose ends what to do about it.

Has anybody got any ideas, suggestions on how to protect my "identity" and to ensure this doesn't happen again?

How would people feel about being the victim of impersonation? I have found it quite difficult as I find cosplaying a way of stressing my individuality, so this has really offended me! :O

Sorry for the rather downbeat post but I am really in need of some advice on how to stop this happening in the future. The situation at the moment is being dealt with by the support of the website it has occured on, but I would like to NOT have this happen again ya know? XD

Thanks for any and all advice if you can spare it!

Kind Regards.

PrinceMark!

Heero Masaki · 01-23-2007, 05:48 PM

I've already talked to you about this my friend. but i think the best you can do is watermark you pictures with a 'solid' but unruining nametag that you can put over yourself on the photo. I'm not sure about the best places to put them though, I'm sure other people on here can suggest something.

Pareidolia · 01-23-2007, 05:52 PM

You could always post a picture of yourself holding a sign saying he stole your pictures lolz. Ooh, or a short little video clip of it.

mizuhaki · 01-23-2007, 05:57 PM

I checked out your gallery, and I can see why they stole it. Your costumes look great! Imitation ( or impersonation in this case) is the highest form of flattery.
And I second watermarking your photos, but do so lightly. Good places to watermark would be over the center of the body, and maybe a small section of the face. You don't want to ruin the picture so everyone can't enjoy it. ^^

Wolverine · 01-23-2007, 06:08 PM

You can add a sort of ID mark to your photo. Like putting your cosplayer name in a corner somewhere. This is also mistakenly called "watermarking" a photo, but you get the idea. A lot of photographers add their copyright notice in this way.

(But several ppl do refer to their semi-transparent copyright notices as watermarks, & most ppl do think of certain photo IDs/copyrights/etc. inside of a photograph as such.)

The problem with putting even a transparent ID text directly over a pic of yourself is that it pretty much mars a once beautiful photo (Well, that's just this forum poster's opinion). But then again, there're less chances of someone swiping your pics if you do do that. Heh.

If you have Adobe Photoshop, I think you can actually apply an actual digital watermark to your photos -- one that can't be cropped out by an image-thief and is invisible. However, I'm not sure if programs other than Photoshop can read that watermark. They should … I hope.

mizuhaki · 01-23-2007, 06:14 PM

Invisible? Sounds handy ^^ But what do you mean by that?

Volnixshin · 01-23-2007, 06:32 PM

Could give us the link to the persons homepage, and we could support you in this time of crisis.

PrinceMark · 01-23-2007, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Volnixshin

Could give us the link to the persons homepage, and we could support you in this time of crisis.

Oh wow, I thank you for the offer. It's a user on MySpace and I have already contacted them about it. I really, really, really appreciate the support, however they are looking into it...so the person (if your interested *cough*Vaan26*cough*) will be dealt with soon.

But thank you

As for the watermarks:

What sort of info/symbol should I put?
Surely somebody can just post them somewhere anyway and say "Oh I watermarked them" ?

Sorry if I am being an idiot!

tsuoi_kaze · 01-23-2007, 06:54 PM

That's just wrong. I hate hearing about people doing that.

As for the watermark: maybe you could put on something that has meaning to you, but would be confusing to other people (like an inside joke...only a symbol or word) or maybe your C.com name?

(And I agree with Mizuhaki, your costumes are great

)

siead_lietrathu · 01-23-2007, 07:12 PM

on my art, i usually put (c)Siead or whatever in a corner.
they way to watermark in photoshop is really really anoying. much easier to just add text, which can do easily in MSpaint.

Miyabi- · 01-23-2007, 08:10 PM

You can even create a stamp and mess with the opacity in Photoshop. ^_^ That way your mark is there yet you control how heavy it is. As far as creating a "digital mark" errrr...that only works with non-pirated copies of Photoshop. Not trying to imply anything..just a forewarning! ^_^

Sadly the MySpace picture theft thing of cosplayers is becoming pretty common. A friend of mine has had a certain picture of her Ed Elric costume ripped off of her gallery and posted on MySpace and Gaia multiple times. I'd report them to the webhost and provide links proving your identity. (someone mentioned holding a sign that says "this is me!")

01-23-2007, 08:34 PM

BURN HIS HOUSE!! Okay, totally kidding (hopefully you didn't go do that, I don't wanna be help liable...)

Winter Divinity · 01-23-2007, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PrinceMark

Oh wow, I thank you for the offer. It's a user on MySpace and I have already contacted them about it. I really, really, really appreciate the support, however they are looking into it...so the person (if your interested *cough*Vaan26*cough*) will be dealt with soon.

But thank you

As for the watermarks:

What sort of info/symbol should I put?
Surely somebody can just post them somewhere anyway and say "Oh I watermarked them" ?

Sorry if I am being an idiot!

Did you already contact myspace? They do crack down on impersonators so hopefully that person's account will be deleted. But yes, as mentioned before imitation is a form of flattery, but this is almost criminal. Who knows what they could be doing under your guise. My suggestion is transparent watermark on your cosplay.com gallery. And if you have a website of your own where you want to display more pictures but without watermarks, disable right-clicking is a good start.

01-23-2007, 08:44 PM

the watermark suggestion I think is probably the only thing one person can do to prevent theft but even thats not full proof many was for the water marks to be tampered with and taken off. im seeing this more every day and its sad really but i go with the water mark Idea its the most full proof if not entirely.

DemonicGoddess · 01-23-2007, 09:34 PM

I bet doughnuts to dollars that nobody has ever done a Beyblades cosplay
and if they have they probably didn't dye their hair pink like I did, lol. Still,
I got a lot of heck from my parents and I let my hair stay pink for a month
and a half, anyway this might be off topic and not even the right thread for
me to posting but I have to say I can deal with impersonation fine. That is all.

01-23-2007, 05:30 PM	#1
PrinceMark Registered User Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 66	How to deal with Impersonation? Hi! My first created thread here on the CC forums, and I am looking for a little help. I have recently been the victim of impersonation for my Vaan costume. As some person on MySpace is using my cosplay.com photos and pretending to be me :O Now, never thinking this could happen before I have never protected my images, or similar in anyway. As this is has seemingly never happened to a UK cosplayer before we are all rather...at loose ends what to do about it. Has anybody got any ideas, suggestions on how to protect my "identity" and to ensure this doesn't happen again? How would people feel about being the victim of impersonation? I have found it quite difficult as I find cosplaying a way of stressing my individuality, so this has really offended me! :O Sorry for the rather downbeat post but I am really in need of some advice on how to stop this happening in the future. The situation at the moment is being dealt with by the support of the website it has occured on, but I would like to NOT have this happen again ya know? XD Thanks for any and all advice if you can spare it! Kind Regards. PrinceMark!

01-23-2007, 05:48 PM	#2
Heero Masaki King of Sexy Janken Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 70	I've already talked to you about this my friend. but i think the best you can do is watermark you pictures with a 'solid' but unruining nametag that you can put over yourself on the photo. I'm not sure about the best places to put them though, I'm sure other people on here can suggest something. __________________ 一生涯守れるほど覚悟も無いのに... The more I protected you, the less I was prepared... YouTube ~ My YouTube Channel ~ Eternal Hero ~ My Website ~ DeviantArt ~ My DeviantArt. ~ CURE ~ CURE Cosplay Profile. ~

01-23-2007, 06:08 PM	#5
Wolverine Registered User Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 425	You can add a sort of ID mark to your photo. Like putting your cosplayer name in a corner somewhere. This is also mistakenly called "watermarking" a photo, but you get the idea. A lot of photographers add their copyright notice in this way. (But several ppl do refer to their semi-transparent copyright notices as watermarks, & most ppl do think of certain photo IDs/copyrights/etc. inside of a photograph as such.) The problem with putting even a transparent ID text directly over a pic of yourself is that it pretty much mars a once beautiful photo (Well, that's just this forum poster's opinion). But then again, there're less chances of someone swiping your pics if you do do that. Heh. If you have Adobe Photoshop, I think you can actually apply an actual digital watermark to your photos -- one that can't be cropped out by an image-thief and is invisible. However, I'm not sure if programs other than Photoshop can read that watermark. They should … I hope. Last edited by Wolverine : 01-23-2007 at 07:14 PM.

01-23-2007, 06:32 PM	#7
Volnixshin Tesla Powered Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 3,169	Could give us the link to the persons homepage, and we could support you in this time of crisis. __________________ *01001000011000010110100101101100001000000100001101 001111010000100101001001000001* Czech jvorxelf, bephor yue rek jvorxelf

01-23-2007, 08:10 PM	#11
Miyabi- All Will Be Well Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 4,391	You can even create a stamp and mess with the opacity in Photoshop. ^_^ That way your mark is there yet you control how heavy it is. As far as creating a "digital mark" errrr...that only works with non-pirated copies of Photoshop. Not trying to imply anything..just a forewarning! ^_^ Sadly the MySpace picture theft thing of cosplayers is becoming pretty common. A friend of mine has had a certain picture of her Ed Elric costume ripped off of her gallery and posted on MySpace and Gaia multiple times. I'd report them to the webhost and provide links proving your identity. (someone mentioned holding a sign that says "this is me!") __________________ I'm only a male lust object on the weekends." -Meng Xiaojie- *Common Sense isn't so common anymore. Perhaps it should now be called Rare Sense* Follow me on: Twitter (Warning: I swear a lot..lol)

01-23-2007, 05:52 PM	#3
Pareidolia Mr. Fufu Cuddlypoops Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 306	You could always post a picture of yourself holding a sign saying he stole your pictures lolz. Ooh, or a short little video clip of it.

01-23-2007, 05:57 PM	#4
mizuhaki Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 793	I checked out your gallery, and I can see why they stole it. Your costumes look great! Imitation ( or impersonation in this case) is the highest form of flattery. And I second watermarking your photos, but do so lightly. Good places to watermark would be over the center of the body, and maybe a small section of the face. You don't want to ruin the picture so everyone can't enjoy it. ^^

01-23-2007, 06:14 PM	#6
mizuhaki Registered User Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 793	Invisible? Sounds handy ^^ But what do you mean by that?

01-23-2007, 06:54 PM	#9
tsuoi_kaze PERSONA! bang Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 2,290	That's just wrong. I hate hearing about people doing that. As for the watermark: maybe you could put on something that has meaning to you, but would be confusing to other people (like an inside joke...only a symbol or word) or maybe your C.com name? (And I agree with Mizuhaki, your costumes are great )

01-23-2007, 07:12 PM	#10
siead_lietrathu Androgyny Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 330	on my art, i usually put (c)Siead or whatever in a corner. they way to watermark in photoshop is really really anoying. much easier to just add text, which can do easily in MSpaint.

01-23-2007, 08:34 PM	#12
random_idiot Posts: n/a	BURN HIS HOUSE!! Okay, totally kidding (hopefully you didn't go do that, I don't wanna be help liable...)

01-23-2007, 08:44 PM	#14
Leenus Posts: n/a	the watermark suggestion I think is probably the only thing one person can do to prevent theft but even thats not full proof many was for the water marks to be tampered with and taken off. im seeing this more every day and its sad really but i go with the water mark Idea its the most full proof if not entirely.

01-23-2007, 09:34 PM	#15
DemonicGoddess Yaoi is my weakness Join Date: Dec 2006 Posts: 96	I bet doughnuts to dollars that nobody has ever done a Beyblades cosplay and if they have they probably didn't dye their hair pink like I did, lol. Still, I got a lot of heck from my parents and I let my hair stay pink for a month and a half, anyway this might be off topic and not even the right thread for me to posting but I have to say I can deal with impersonation fine. That is all. __________________ The Lust of Human Is His Pride... It Is Also His Downfall...

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