Okay, I feel like a complete drama queen doing this but this is SO VERY IMPORTANT to me and I need to vent. When you repost things instead of just as easily reblogging them so that they are sourced properly, it discourages artists. It keeps them from sharing, perhaps from even creating. And a stifled artist of any kind is sheer tragedy. Before I share any further, I want to make it clear that I in no way speak for gemmasroom (though I kinda did and I apologize if that was a problem). I don’t even know gemma other than being a fan of her pretty little graphics.
Today I happened to see this post on my feed. It was shiny and new with no posts at all so I sent a message to the person who posted hoping they’d just take it down and reblog from the original post at the link I provided in the message. Instead, this is what happened:
kinkylittlefatgirl: Can I encourage you to take the time to seek out the original post when you find a graphic you like which has a clear tumblr watermark on it? It is deeply appreciated by those of us who enjoy seeing our content being enjoyed, and thus encourages more original content overall. Thanks! http://gemmasroom.tumblr.com/post/77470718483
blueeyecandy: I’m not sure what you mean?
kinkylittlefatgirl: The gemmasroom image. It has a watermark on it which states it came from her tumblr. I linked the original post at the end of that last message. :c)
When you repost an image rather than going to the watermark link and reblogging, you remove the ability for the creator to watch it gain notes and reblogs. Since most Tumblr artists do not get paid, their compensation is being able to see that their time and energy isn’t wasted. I have several of my own graphics which have been reposted in this manner and have gained thousands of notes, yet my original posts only have a hundred or two. Knowing it is being enjoyed regardless of who posted it is lovely and all, but it is frustrating to not be able to get notifications. It is such a thrill to see each little like and reblog. And it is defeating to know that someone else is basically getting the credit. A lot of artists give up sharing for this reason.
I realize that some don’t have the experience with this kind of thing to draw on so don’t understand why it is important to reblog from the original post. Basically I am simply appealing to your sense of decency and hoping that perhaps in the future you’ll take a few extra minutes to search for the post on the blog in the link written on the image (when it exists) and use the reblog rather than repost a whole new version of it.
Thanks for taking the time to consider it!
blueeyecandy: Found it on Facebook and shared it.didn’t know it was a big deal.sorry. I’m not going to hunt down where something came from. I share what I like.90percent comes from Facebook. Don’t repost much I find on here.
kinkylittlefatgirl: I figured you didn’t know it was a big deal. That’s why I brought it to your attention. Having posted it, I assume you are not blind and that you can read. I assume that you could see the plainly displayed tumblr link written directly on the image you posted regardless of where you found it. I assume that you have the negligible computer skills it takes to use Tumblr. All that assumed, I am sorry to hear that you’ve not enough respect or decency to take the two minutes it took me to find the original post on gemma’s blog.
People like you are the reason the same bullshit is reposted and reposted without as much new content created. Who wants to go through the trouble when they know people like you will just repost it ignorantly even after hearing the reasons it is worth taking an extra moment or two. Sad. Truly.
blueeyecandy: Name calling very nice. I never saw a list of these rules when I started posting. Don’t follow my post and it won’t be a big deal.I thought this was my personal page to post what I like.I didn’t know someone needed to ok what I think is a nice post. I don’t really understand why you are getting so upset. Do you police tumbler? Where is it written that I can’t post what I like? Does posting something first make you the owner of it.and no one else may post it? Sorry for getting your panties on a wad by enjoying my page.
kinkylittlefatgirl: At no time did I call you names, nor did I say that you shouldn’t post what you like. You absolutely should post whatever you like.
I simply suggested doing it in a more considerate manner. This is not a matter of who posted first. She CREATED the image so, to answer your question, yes, she does own it. Contrary to popular belief, posting on the internet does not remove an artist’s rights. Not that she is likely to assert them, but that does not negate the fact that she does retain rights to her work.
As for rules, no, there isn’t a list of rules, nor am I in any position to police anything. I also didn’t attempt to. What I did was politely inform and suggest that it would be nice if you were to be thoughtful about posting something directly when it would’ve taken minimal effort to give consideration to the creator.I made every effort to be cordial in that request, hoping and believing you might at least give it some thought. I suppose I should by now know better to expect such things of a Tumblr dom.
~~~
So, yeah… reading back as I repost I do see that I got pretty snippy in the third message. I’m a bitch, what can I say. But let’s be honest and acknowledge that I was perfectly polite and willing to explain in the beginning. It was the apathy of the reply which got under my skin. The frustration of knowing there is nothing I can say which is going to make him see that this is something worth at least considering. And, really, that is all I asked. I simply stated that it would be a lovely thing to do. He was not even willing to go that far and that is what not only aggravates but saddens me.
As I see it, this all boils down to basic human decency. When someone tells you that a small gesture which costs you nothing but a few minutes of your day would make such a difference and you cannot even take the time to mull that over… I don’t know. I just don’t get it. Does not compute.
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