So You've Found an Art Thief

So You've Found an Art Thief

So you're browsing DA or even your inbox from some groups your in and then you see it:
official Vocaloids art from their latest package with Hatsune Mikus hair recolored pink and probably done so using MSPaint.
Or Maybe it's a screen shot from Disneys The Princess and the Frog with something written on it perhaps.
Sometimes you might come across somebodies pixel art that has been recolored without permission or the images color has just been edited.
These are all very common instances of Art Theft and should be dealt with. In this guide, I'll provide recommended methods of resolving art theft.

Should I tell them that they are breaking the rules?
Yes. Many times they don't know they were violating the policies despite having hit the check-box indicating that they have read and understood the rules when they sign up for membership on DeviantArt.
Most won't accept not having read the rules as a valid excuse to violate the policies, some will, but either way, there's a good way to handle the issue.

What should I tell them?
The best way to handle the situation is to politely inform them that their image(s) violate the copyright policy and link them to the policies that apply to the situation.
Some handy links to know are
FAQ #257: What sort of permission do I need to use someone else's work?
FAQ #304: Do you remove copies and trace-over art?
FAQ #32: Fair Use and Your Submission
FAQ #578: What does deviantART consider to be a proper desktop screenshot?
FAQ #306: Does "Crediting" let me use whatever I want?

What if they ignore me and continue to violate the policies?
You can't very well control what other people do but the best thing to do is to shrug it off and report the deviation. If they get mouthy, it will be hard to resist replying and starting an argument, but just know that their deviation being removed will be all the revenge you need, especially when they realize that they were wrong after all.

How do I report a deviation I think violates the Policies?
DeviantArt has a FAQ article devoted to this subject
FAQ #155: How do I report a deviation which I think breaks the rules?
But basically, there is a row of buttons on the right side of deviations and one of which is a Report Deviation button. A little blue diamond with an exclamation point (!) inside of it will be right next to it. This is the button you need.
When you click it, a little window will appear with a list of categories to the left. Click on Permission Issues</i> link and a few boxes with options beside them will appear. There will also three text boxes below.
Click on which ever box applies to the deviation you are reporting. If you think or know the work is copyrighted (for example, cover art for Final Fantasy or a screenshot of a scene from Disney's Finding Nemo) then select This Uses Work Which Might Be Copyrighted</i>.
If you think the deviant attained and submitted the image to DeviantArt without having created the image and without the original creators or owners permission, select I Don't Think They Have Permission To Post This </i>.
I personally usual select these two options together so that if if isn't copyrighted, then it could still be removed for having been posted without permission from who made it.
There is also an Other </i> option in case the deviation doesn't fall under being copyrighted or submitted without permission. For example, if it was made using a doll maker but I usually report those under Misplaced Deviation before taking it to Permission Issues.

What do I write in the boxes?
The first box is Can you explain why you believe there is a permission issue here?
In here, explain why you suspect that the deviation is stolen. Maybe the quality is suddenly very good compared to everything else in the gallery. Maybe the style is different from the rest of the gallery. Or maybe you've seen it before whether it was in a magazine, on a movie cover, or just somewhere else on the internet like Google, PhotoBucket or another website.
If the deviation was stolen from another user on DeviantArt, note the owner or comment on the image that was stolen and tell them what has happened. Be sure to provide a link!

The second box is Can you show us someplace online where you think this work came from by giving us a URL?
Here you copy and paste the web-address of where you found the image, like Google, Photobucket etc. so that the staff member can see where the image was stolen from and remove the stolen deviation.
Even if you can't find the source, report anyway, especially if it's something very recognizable.

The third box is Is there anything else you think the staff should know?
This box is where you tell the staff if the deviant who submitted the stolen deviation has MORE stolen content. This is very handy for reporting a gallery that has more than one page of stolen material.

What do I do after reporting?
Wait.
It may take a couple of days or a couple of weeks before a staff member gets your report, takes a look, determines if the deviation is a violation or copyright infringement, then take the appropriate action.

Are there resources that can help me?
There sure are

There are groups here on DA devoted to getting rid of stolen content on DeviantArt like this one and groups like Doombringers I-Call-Theft and :#Silent-enforcers:.
Be sure to read their polices on behavior and submitting claims.

There are also reverse imaging sites like TinEye and Google.
With TinEye, just copy the URL then paste it into the search box and hit search. It's that easy! Or you can upload the image if you have it saved on your computer.

You can also use Google to search images. When you load the main search page, you'll see the search box and at the very end on the right hand side of the box is a little blue camera icon.
Click that icon and paste the images url and hit search.

Both methods are very easy. You can even install TinEye to your tools so that you only have to left click and select "Search Image on TinEye" and it'll open a new tab with the search.

These tools are essential for reporting stolen content!

I have questions!
Feel free to ask the Founder Arpaat or the co-founders, Screaminyellowmadness,adayofnights92,Banzai-Chan or AdmiralFacePalm

Note the group if you have any questions regarding the groups policies,including submitting and making claims.

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