Pinterest? is someone making money using my photos?

[kuuan]

Hi,
just tried to find out, but I really don't understand how Pinterest is working. Is it a commercial site, a place where one can make money with published photos? or not?

Once again, by chance, I found one blog using my photo and two photos more published, by someone else, on Pinterest. They must have downloaded them from my flickr and then used without asking me for permission, even though, according to the info provided at the flicks page they appear, all rights are reserved.
Please don't just explain that publishing photos on flickr means, effectively, giving them away for free. I am happy for anyone using them for their private enjoyment but it certainly is not ok publishing them, without asking or giving credits, under another name, specially if it happens to be a commercial site

cheers, andreas

 

[Timmyjoe]

Andreas, unfortunately, publishing photos on flickr does mean giving them away for free.

About seven years ago, one of my clients did not have a sophisticated data set up and wanted me to submit images to them thru a flickr account. Low and behold, less than six months later I found people using those images, without permission, without compensation. It was a costly experience, but one I learned from. If you put images up on flickr and other image sharing sites, people can easily take them, and there is little you can do to stop it.

Sorry.

Best,
-Tim

 

[kuuan]

thank you for your answer Tim! I am aware that I can't do much about people taking images from my flickr account.
Even though I just have tried to find out I do not understand how Pinterest is working. Why would someone download a photo of mine to upload it on Pinterest? I'd love to understand the motive and if they can and/or are trying to use my photos to generate money
thank's, andreas