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- May 28, 2021
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The Bob Is the Oil Guy (BITOG) forum, which uses similar software to this forum, reports it is deleting members' avatars that are images, because of copyright threats from lawyers for two different parties. It seems that bots from a third party automatically searched the site looking for possible copyright and trademark "infringements" from avatars. Evidently that third party receives a commission from every "violation" found.
Members who used their own photo are exempt from the image deletion, but must vouch that they took the photo. Even AI images are suspect. BITOG admins are paranoid over this, even saying that your photo with a manufacturer's logo on a product might not pass muster.
The whole problem came from the site being open to the public to view without logging in. Maybe we should proactively consider making TRS a members-only forum. We could still accept new members, of course, but ending open access to the public might help us prevent what BITOG is going through.
I'm a member of other, non-automotive forums that closed to public access for other reasons several years ago, so threats have always been around. Now the threats are getting worse.
Take this seriously. Please.
Members who used their own photo are exempt from the image deletion, but must vouch that they took the photo. Even AI images are suspect. BITOG admins are paranoid over this, even saying that your photo with a manufacturer's logo on a product might not pass muster.
The whole problem came from the site being open to the public to view without logging in. Maybe we should proactively consider making TRS a members-only forum. We could still accept new members, of course, but ending open access to the public might help us prevent what BITOG is going through.
I'm a member of other, non-automotive forums that closed to public access for other reasons several years ago, so threats have always been around. Now the threats are getting worse.
Take this seriously. Please.
