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Have you ever been stolen from?
您的創作也曾經被竊奪過嗎?
要看中文翻譯,請往下拉。
This is not a case of I said vs. they said. An international fashion magazine has admitted to, and been indicted for, stealing my work. My name is Henry Westheim and I am a US citizen working as a professional photographer in Taiwan. I need your help to finish my lawsuit against the large corporation that stole my work. I have been fighting a legal battle against a major international fashion magazine since 2013. You know who this company is. You have seen their magazines in the bookstores. As I’m sure you can understand, I can’t mention who they are because of the pending lawsuit.
Over two years ago, this publishing corporation purposely stole my photography and I have been fighting them ever since. My photography’s watermark and identifier were cropped and removed. It was given a new file name, it had all metadata (Content Management Information (CMI)) and copyright info removed before being used by this corporation. They have even admitted their guilt before a judge in criminal court. However, they are refusing to compensate me fully for my losses.
The photography they stole appeared in multiple different articles. It was used on the corporation’s website between July 2011 and December 2013 (Almost 2 and a half years!) My photography was alongside paid luxury brand advertisements. Yet, no compensation was ever paid to me. (again, international brands that you all know but I can’t mention here) My photography was finally removed after my attorneys issued a cease-and-desist letter to the company in 2013.
In addition, through the fashion magazine’s website, my photography had been made available for free unrestricted photo sharing and downloading via multiple social media sites: Facebook, , Twitter, Plurk Weibo, Line, Google + and Pinterest. I have already spent over US$14,800.00 of my own money on this case which led to the indictments, and I need your help to finish this. I am so close to getting these big corporate thieves to simply pay me my fair compensation, however, I am simply being bled dry by their deep pockets.
What is the money needed for?
As you can imagine, the legal and related fees are significant and I don’t want to give up now. I’m so close to the finish line. Again, let me repeat, I have already paid close to USD $15,000 (NTD$469,000) to date and I am looking for help to finish this court case. Please don’t let this multi national corporation simply buy their way out of stealing from small, self-employed artists.
Unlike the United States, all fines and/or penalties awarded in a criminal court are retained by the government. There are no statutory damages in Taiwan. I am only looking for support to help pay my legal fees to finish this case. I am not looking to profit from your donations at all.
In fact, I will donate any amount raised above my legal costs, after the courts penalties are awarded, to Hsiang Shang Social Welfare Foundation orphanage (http://www.child-home.org.tw/child_home/index.php) where many children lost their parents in the 9/21 earthquake in central Taiwan ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/921_earthquake ) .
An estimated additional US$8,000 to US$10,000 is needed to proceed and continue in court where I can present the full evidence to a judge and the court. The company and it’s former employee have been indicted, they have admitted guilt, however I can’t afford to proceed further due to legal fees and related costs. The donations you give will be used to help cover my legal fees and will enable me to present the full evidence in front of a judge in civil court, rather than accepting a meager settlement for the theft of my work and clear violation of copyright law. A settlement would be only a fraction of what I have already paid out of pocket to prove wrongdoing, which led to the indictments.
What happens after the case is over?
My goal is for the guilty parties to never again violate and steal intellectual property rights of an individual. Hopefully, other publications and multi-national corporations will understand that they must obey the law with regards to Intellectual Property Rights. Hopefully, large companies will cease to take advantage of the ‘little person.’ Lastly, I want to be able to continue working as a photographer. I want to be able to continue paying models, make-up artists, hair designers, etc. and create beautiful photographs.
Other Ways You Can Help
There are many ways to help. Even if you don't have the money right now, you can help by sharing this information with your friends. Share it on social media. Blog about it. Let your friends and the world know about this case. If you have friends in the media please share this information with them; they may find this newsworthy as it regards Intellectual Property Rights, Taiwan, and a huge publisher violating the law and an individual’s intellectual property rights.
Every dollar donated, and spreading the word of this case, means a tremendous amount.
If you cannot make a contribution yourself, please do pass this story on to a friend who may relate to it and be able to help.
In summary
- Westheim has suffered loss from the actual usage of his photograph for almost 2-/2 years.
- Current and future revenue has been lost and there is no possibility of any world-wide commercial licensing due to Westheim’s photograph being made available for free photo sharing and download, worldwide, via Facebook, Plurk, Twitter, Weibo, Line, Google + and Pinterest.
- Westheim’s photograph was used for commercial gain. There was profit gained by the corporation due to selling advertising space besides Westheim’s photograph.
- Westheim’s photograph helped the fashion publication gain viewers and readers by publishing the photograph on their Facebook page. Clicking on Westheim’s photograph on Facebook brought the viewer to the company’s web page containing Westheim’s photograph on their website; besides Westheim’s photograph were paid advertisements. This is commercial usage and a benefit to the company’s website. It may have also helped the company increase its search engine ranking (search engine optimization).
- This was willful infringement. The corporation knew what they were doing and did it anyway.
- This is a serious issue for Westheim, other individuals, small and large businesses, to be able to conduct business. If people and small companies feel their Intellectual Property can be stolen with minimal repercussions then individuals and small businesses will continue to be taken advantage of and will not be able to create, protect their rights, and remain in business.
What’s in it for me?
In return for your help and support, you get to know that you helped do what’s right and that you helped to not let a huge corporation get away with theft from an individual. Your support will help prove that large corporations will be held accountable to the law and that an individual can afford the same legal rights and protection as big business.
Any amount raised above Westheim’s legal costs, after the court’s penalties are awarded, will be donated to a children’s charity, an orphanage where many children lost their parents in the 9/21 Earthquake in central Taiwan. This is a charity supported by the American Chamber of Commerce, Taichung (Taiwan). Any money donated, above and beyond Westheim recouping his monetary losses from legally pursing what is the right and ethical thing to do, will be donated to charity. This case is about supporting local artists and their ability to earn a living. There will be no profit gained from any funds raised through here for Westheim. He has spent his own money thus far and hundreds of hours of time proving his case to the federal prosecutor; this effort, once again, led to indictments.
Please, help do what’s right. Help prevent the ‘little’ guy from being taken advantage of. Help support an individual’s right to earn a living. Help orphans that lost their families in the 9/21 Earthquake in Taiwan.
Help Westheim do what’s right. No amount is too small, and every dollar greatly helps and is greatly appreciated. Westheim sincerely thanks you for reading this and for any help and support you can give.
What are the chances of winning the case?
The corporation and its ex-employee have already been indicted by the Taipei District Court (Taiwan). They have admitted guilt before a judge in criminal court. A former employee has admitted to the unauthorized copying and use of the photograph while employed by the company. The issue and reason for this campaign is to be able to proceed with this case and to present the evidence before a judge in Criminal Court and Civil Court. In Taiwan, all fines and/or penalties awarded in Criminal Court are retained by the government. There are no statutory damages in Taiwan.
According to the Taipei District Court Prosecutor’s indictment, penalties for violation of Taiwan’s Copyright Act in this case are as follows:
1. Any unauthorized reproduction of the copyrighted material will be subject to a maximum of 3 years in jail or a fine up to NTD750,000 (US$23,705) per infringement;
2. Any unauthorized reproduction of the copyrighted material for commercial purposes will be subject to a minimum of 6 months and a maximum of 5 years in jail. In addition, a minimum fine of NTD200,000 (US$6,321) up to a maximum fine of NTD 2 million (US$63,212) will be imposed.
3. If the infringer had publicly, either orally, transmitted, displayed or distributed, edited the copyrighted materials, there is a 3 year maximum penalty or a maximum of NT750,000 (US$23,704) fine.
Thank you very much for your time reading this. Any help you can offer is sincerely and greatly appreciated.
這絕對不是各說各話的案例,這案例中的竊奪者-某知名國際時尚雜誌,已經承認違法竊用我的作品並也因此被起訴中。我叫亨利(Henry Westheim), 是一位美國專業攝影師,此時此刻我需要您們的協助,讓法律正義將這大型時尚公司繩之於法。從2013年開始,以侵犯專利著作之名對抗這國際知名時尚雜誌的戰役一直進行著,您們應該知道這家公司, 也應該在眾多書店裡看過這公司出版的時尚雜誌,由於整個的訴訟過程還在進行中,所以無法透露這公司的名稱,我相信您能夠了解。
兩年多以前,在發現這家出版社蓄意偷竊我的攝影作品並據為己用之後,我一直依法力爭,出版公司在非法使用我的攝影作品前,特意將照片上的浮水印以及辨識資訊裁切去除之後賦予新的檔案名稱,也就是將所有內容管理資訊(CMI) 以及版權資訊完全移除。 在法庭中,出版社甚至也已經向法官承認以上罪狀,但出版社卻仍然拒絕全額賠償我的損失。
被違法使用的攝影作品陸續在許多不同的文章中出現,包括在2011年7月到2013年12月期間,出版社將此照片使用在其公司網頁上(幾乎兩年半的時間),緊鄰我的攝影作品是這公司提供知名品牌的付費廣告區,即使如此,出版社並未提供任何的補償。(重申,我無法明確列出這些眾所皆知的精品品牌)。2013年,在我的律師向出版公司寄出終止警告函文( cease-and-desist letter) 之後,這張被盜用的非授權攝影作品才得以從其網頁上移除。
除此之外,由於出版社對於其雜誌網頁上的照片使用沒有加以限制,以至於全球社群媒體使用者均能透過臉書,噗浪,維特,微博,Line,Google +以及Pinterest 免費分享及下載此侵權作品,從發現到訴訟為止,個人已經投入一萬四千八百美元(折合台幣約四十六萬),但我需要您們的幫忙來完成這項正義制裁。我已經非常接近將這大巨賊繩之於法並賠償我應得的損失,但是出版社的資源是在是太雄厚了,我有限的資金已經被消耗殆盡。
募得資金的用途?
您一定能夠想像法律以及相關費用金額的龐大, 請容許我重申,到目前為止,我已經付出約一萬五千元美金(折合約台幣四十六萬九千元),我需要大家的協助來讓這訴訟案件繼續進行,在終點已經近在眼前之下,我不想也不應放棄,況且,我們不應該任由資金雄厚的多國企業大巨人向獨立自由工作者的藝術家行竊, 並得以逍遙法外。
跟美國不同的地方是台灣沒有法定損害賠償的設定,在台灣所有的罰金又或賠償均由政府保留。這個募款計畫只是希望能夠幫助我分擔法律訴訟的費用,我完成沒有從其中圖利的意圖。
事實上,在結清所有法律訴訟所需費用之後,任何剩餘的募款金額將被捐出到向上兒童福利基金會孤兒院( http://www.child-home.org.tw/child_home/index.php),院裡面有許許多多小朋友在921中台灣大地震時失去了他們的親人。 ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/921_earthquake )。
費用預計還需要八千到一萬元美金來繼續法庭訴訟案件的進行,雖然此國際雜誌公司以及其已離職員工已經被起訴並且也已認罪,但是在無法負荷後續的法律及相關費用之下,即使擁有罪狀確鑿的證據,仍無法將訴訟往下進行。與其接受對方所提出微薄的和解金,我計畫將所募得款項作為支付後續法律費用,這樣一來才有機會在法庭上向法官提出所有證據,一來證明出版社公然的非法盜用及違反著作權法事實,必須接受法律制裁,二來出版社所提出的和解金跟我已支出的訴訟相關費用不成比例,到目前為止,這筆訴訟費用只涵蓋到起訴的階段。
案子結束之後呢?
我的主要目的是要違法公司不再侵犯個人著作財產權。同時,也希望其他出版社以及多國企業公司不僅能夠明白和遵守智慧財產權,並且停止竊奪“小百姓創作者”的權利。當然最終我希望能夠繼續以攝影師的身分創作,繼續以合理的工資來聘請模特兒,化妝師以及美髮師等來創造美麗的影像。
其他幫助方式
幫忙的方式有很多種,即使您目前沒有辦法以金錢資助,您也可以藉由跟朋友分享這項資訊來讓更多人知道這個情形。您可以在社交媒體或在部落客裏分享,讓您的朋友以及世界各地的人們了解這個案件。如果您有朋友在媒體圈工作,這個資訊對他們來說,也許有新聞價值,因為它關係到台灣的智慧財產權法,尤其是台灣知名出版社蓄意侵犯個人著作財產權。
每一份捐款,每一次案件的轉述,轉載,對我來說,都是莫大的幫助。
如果您無法捐款,也煩請跟您的朋友分享,也許這位朋友有相關經驗並且能夠幫得上忙。
結語
- 亨利的心血攝影作品被侵犯盜用超過兩年半的時間。
- 目前,這張被竊用照片得應有價值已被剝奪,即使在將來,由於雜誌社草率的處理照片使用方式,以至於任何人都能免費下載並分享到全球各地的社群網站,比如臉書,噗浪,推特,微博,Line, Google+以及Pinterest, 因此它也喪失了全球商業授權的可能性。
- 亨利被盜用的這張作品被公司安置於網頁來吸引精品品牌購買其版面付費廣告,出版社的確是從其中獲得利益的。
- 不僅網站,出版社還將這張未授權照片張貼於他們的臉書頁面來助其增加閱覽流量及讀者群,讀者只要點擊臉書上亨利所拍的照片,就會直接被連結到出版社公司的網頁上,而網頁上刊載著的正是同一張照片,如上所述,緊鄰於此照片是付費廣告區塊,這張未授權照片不僅被違法作為商業用途,也被用來增加公司網頁的點閱率,而以上這些舉動也極有可能提升公司的搜尋引擎排名(搜尋引擎最佳化)。
- 種種跡象顯示這是刻意違法行為,公司顯然是明知故犯。
這不僅對亨利來說是一個很重要的議題,其他像他一樣的自由工作者,或大或小的公司行號,其實也會受到影響,如果這些創作者覺得他們的智慧財產結晶能夠隨時被剝奪,甚至剝奪者無須面對應有的懲罰的話,那眾多的個人工作者以及小字號公司的心血將一直被利用,到最後,他們無法創作,或保護他們的著作權甚至無法繼續生存在各自的創作領域。
對我有什麼好處?
您的幫忙跟支持的最大的回饋就是您知道您盡了一份之力來做對的事情,在這同時,您也幫助了一位自由工作者將偷竊他創作心血的大公司繩之於法,您的支持也證明即使是大公司也必須在法律之下,承擔責任,而每一位個人自由工作者也跟大公司一樣,享有相同的法律權利跟保護。
所募得的款項在支付完亨利的法律費用以及開庭費用之後,多出部分將捐給一所兒童福利機構以及孤兒院,院裡面許多孩童在921中台灣大地震時失去了他們的親人。台中美國商會一直以來支持這所兒童福利機構,當初亨利決定訴諸於法,主要是抱著做對及合乎道德的事,所以募款所得如果超出所投入的法律及相關費用,超出部分將全數捐到慈善團體。這次的活動主要是支持當地藝術家以及保障謀生的技能,亨利絕對沒有從這項募款中圖利的意圖,為了這件對的事,他已經投入大筆金錢跟時間來跟檢察官證明他的著作權被侵犯的事實,而這份心力也將案件帶到起訴階段。
由衷請求您為對的事助一臂之力。任何捐款,無論數目多少都是莫大的幫助跟鼓舞,亨利真心感激。 請支持個人工作謀生的權利,也幫助在921中台灣大地震種喪失親人的孤兒們。
請幫助亨利做對的事,無論數目多少都是絕對的正面助益,亨利誠懇地謝謝您的閱讀以及任何您能提供的幫忙於支持。
這件案子的勝算如何?
這家公司以及其離職僱員已經被台北地方法院(台灣)起訴,在刑事法庭上,也已經承認他們的罪行,離職員工已經坦承在雜誌社工作期間非法拷貝並使用亨利的照片,這次的募款活動的主要議題跟理由就是希望訴訟能繼續進行,好讓亨利在刑事以及民事法庭上向法官提出證據。 在台灣所有的罰金又或賠償均由政府保留發落,法定損害賠償法並沒有在台灣實行。
依據台北地方法院檢察署的起訴書,違反台灣著作權法的罰則如下:
- 任何受著作權法保護的創作在未經授權之下,每一起著作權侵害行為將可處最高三年徒刑或台幣七十五萬元(美金兩萬三千七百零五元)的罰款。
- 任何受版權保護的創作在未經授權複製並使用於商業用途的情況下 違法者將可處最低六個月最高五年的徒刑,除此以外,尚可面臨最低台幣二十萬元(美金六千三百二十一元)最高台幣兩百萬元(美金六萬三千兩百二十二元)的罰款。
-
如果侵權者曾經在公開場合,不管是口頭上傳達,展示,分發或剪輯受版權保護的創作,可處最高三年徒刑或最高新台幣七十五萬元的罰款。
非常謝謝您的耐心閱讀,也真誠感謝您提供的任何協助,在此致上最高的謝意。
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