Seeking correct permission to use the photographic work taken by another person is only a matter of politeness to most respectable people.
However, this common courtesy does not seem to apply to the Woodvale and Ainsdale Community Association (WACA), who make a habit of taking what they want without asking permission.
My work party photo of ex-councillor Ted Hartill’s parents (above) has been taken without my permission from the original WWP (Woodvale Woodland Project) website and used to bolster up the current WACA regime’s public appearance.
Below is the page in question that holds my unauthorised photo.
This can be accessed on this self-promotional WACA page: ‘END OF PROJECT EVALUATION REPORT 2013 -2018’
https://www.woodvalecommunitycentre.co.uk/app/uploads/2018/07/Big-Lottery-5-Year-Evaluation-2018.pdf
My original shot can be seen on this WWP work party page
Normally, I would have NO problem with any decent person or group using my photos (after first seeking my consent). I have regularly agreed to freely give such permission to others.
However, due to the following ongoing situation, I would have had to seriously consider such a request from this group (even though NO request was ever made) before deciding on whether or not to allow permission.
WWP whistleblowers banned
The WWP fiasco saw loyal WACA volunteers banned from the project (including children, one with autism) that they had created after freely giving 9 months of hard graft, simply because they refused to work under Tory councillor Ted Hartill’s questionable direction. See this informative site for more info.
Not the first time
This is not the first time that WACA has been castigated for misusing pictures without permission. It happened before and involved children’s pictures.
Parents at the time were understandably unhappy about this charity having their children's pictures on show in a woodland signage board and regarded it as a safeguarding issue. Therefore, following some debate, the matter was brought to the attention of Cllr Haydn Preece who swiftly confirmed that it was indeed a "safeguarding" matter.
Photographers who find that their work has been lifted have a number of options available to them, including:
1. Do nothing.
2. Personally send a cease-and-desist letter.
3. Ask for credit.
4. Send an invoice.
5. Hire a lawyer to send a cease-and-desist letter.
6. File a DMCA takedown notice.
(https://www.dmca.com/faq/UK-based-DMCA-Takedown-or-Cease-and-Desist-process)
(https://www.dmca.com/faq/UK-based-DMCA-Takedown-or-Cease-and-Desist-process)
7. File a lawsuit.
Life is always full of choices, yet reckless charities who gain a great deal of Lottery Funding should act in a professional and responsible manner at all times! Also, seeking to utilise the work of others, without permission, to gain additional kudos and thus more funding, is a problematic thing to embark upon.
Image and glossy spin are all fine and dandy. One however frequently discovers that the truth resides in the opposite!
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