Topic: Suggestion: A Policy Regarding Watermarking of Posted Images

[Tsonks]

A suggestion by a concerned Espiya.net citizen:

IMHO, watermarking of images should be done only if the image poster made or created the image or picture.

If the image poster lifted or copied an image from another website, then he/she should not watermark it (unless given permission to watermark). This could wrongly attribute the image to the person who watermarked the image instead of its rightful owner or author. An image should be posted without modifications (unless given permission) and should cite the source (the original URL/link of the image).

Another issue with watermarking is the loss of quality when watermarking a JPEG image and saving again as a JPEG. JPEG is a lossy compression format. When you edit a JPEG image and then save it again as a JPEG, you lose information, losing information in an image means losing image quality. More info about this here: http://graphicssoft.about.com/od/formatsjpeg/a/jpegmythsfacts.htm

If the Espiya moderators/policy makers agree with this, may I request that this be made as an official Espiya.net policy? Maybe the 7th Commandment can be modified to show this. (7th Commandment currently states that "Thou shall not post copyrighted images, such as photos from porn paysites. This is illegal. Period.")

If we implement this as a rule or policy, not only will we avoid plagiarism and improper attribution, we will also maintain the quality of the posted images as they are posted unedited and not re-saved again with a lossy compression format.

[Yubi Akira]

   i totally agree with his suggestion 100%. with due respect to Espiya owner & CEO si SG i think its about time to implement rules with regards to watermarks & logos attach to a post or contribution & regardless of anybodys rank or position in Espiya i think its about time to restrict posting with watermarks which is actually "PULOT" from other sites or forums.

  Only original shots by ur own camera or scanned pics or webcam caps should be allowed to have watermarks to give credits to ur own work but a big "HELL NO!" to posts voming from pamumulot. thanks a lot.

[Bill Clinton]

Very valid points bro. I see where you're coming from. There are not as many purists nowadays when it comes to photography who are really after loss less quality.

Personally, I hate watermarks, I believe they are distracting and interfere with the proper appreciation of the photo. This is the reason why for the longest time (backread for my earlier posts), I did not use watermarks on the photos I posted (as a photohunter or "mamumulot" as Yubi puts it, meaning I admit to getting these from social networking sites, websites, and every nook and cranny on the Web), even those that I personally took (check out the Espiya camera and phone camera threads, where I still don't watermark, I also have some original photos in the College Athletes thread).

I also believe that everything posted on the Internet should be free for everyone to enjoy, you post it, it belongs to the world. Simply put, I am not a believer in copyrights and other variations of intellectual property.

Watermarks primarily work to identify the creator of the image. However, here in Espiya, at least for purposes of my post, they do not serve to identify the creator, they serve merely to identify that these images were originally posted here. Again, they do not serve to mislead the viewer that espiya.net took that photo, it is to simply show that it was posted here. You don't see a "bill clinton" watermark or my real name or initials on any of my posts. A regular web enthusiast who sees the "espiya.net" watermark will not think that espiya.net actually took that photo but will think that the photo was lifted from our site, thus increasing the awareness about our home.

Why you may ask? There are a gazillion forums in the Internet. They all jockey for the reputation of being "number one" or "ahead of the pack." My watermarking came as a reaction from one such blogsite that claimed to be the "definite source for sexy pinays." He started lifting photos from our site en masse (meaning buong buo) and claimed that his site is the source of these photos. This businessman also has ads on his site from which he earns. Should lame @$$ profiteers such as this blogger profit from the efforts of SG and the entire Espiya community while he just sits back, lifts our site's content, posts them as his own and earn from them?

I think the answer is more than obvious.

[Don Kanonji]

i also agree.

[excon]

I don't think this is a good idea..

Kung wala kasing watermark (kahit pulot pa yan), e kung sino-sino na lang ang gagamit ng mga ito. nakaka-ubos din ng BW na ang cause e mawala yung link.

when it comes naman sa quality, there so many ways para mapanatili yung good quality ng mga pics. konting adjustments lang naman yun.

pero im not the one to decide but for me, it's a no-no. 

[Paprika]

I hate watermarks din. Pangit kasi tingnan ang photo collection na sinave ko kung may bahid ng ibang tao. 

[excon]

I hate watermarks din. Pangit kasi tingnan ang photo collection na sinave ko kung may bahid ng ibang tao. 

then kung ayaw mo ng may watermark.. you must learn to search, browse other sites or get a camera para magkaroon ka ng sarili mong mga pics. and one thing, mas maganda mag-collect kung pinaghirapan mo yung mga pics.. 

[Paprika]

Hindi ko kaya yun tamad kasi ako. Gusto ko yung nakahanda na.  (demanding)

[excon]

Hindi ko kaya yun tamad kasi ako. Gusto ko yung nakahanda na.  (demanding)

haha.. ako din tamad pero di ako nagcocollect ng mga pics.. 
oops Off topic na ako..

back to topic: basta for me, it's a no-no.

[manyakihiro]

I also believe that everything posted on the Internet should be free for everyone to enjoy, you post it, it belongs to the world. Simply put, I am not a believer in copyrights and other variations of intellectual property.

Watermarks primarily work to identify the creator of the image. However, here in Espiya, at least for purposes of my post, they do not serve to identify the creator, they serve merely to identify that these images were originally posted here. Again, they do not serve to mislead the viewer that espiya.net took that photo, it is to simply show that it was posted here. You don't see a "bill clinton" watermark or my real name or initials on any of my posts. A regular web enthusiast who sees the "espiya.net" watermark will not think that espiya.net actually took that photo but will think that the photo was lifted from our site, thus increasing the awareness about our home.

Why you may ask? There are a gazillion forums in the Internet. They all jockey for the reputation of being "number one" or "ahead of the pack." My watermarking came as a reaction from one such blogsite that claimed to be the "definite source for sexy pinays." He started lifting photos from our site en masse (meaning buong buo) and claimed that his site is the source of these photos. This businessman also has ads on his site from which he earns. Should lame @$$ profiteers such as this blogger profit from the efforts of SG and the entire Espiya community while he just sits back, lifts our site's content, posts them as his own and earn from them?

All out for the great President. very well said. Maiboto nga ulit.