Online exploitation by 88DB
Feb 22, 2008 11:01There have been several complaints from some photographers regarding 88DB.com, posted on photography discussion forums and blogs.
Apparently, 88DB has been so desperate to set up contents and database on its site that it has been exploiting users' privacy by setting up accounts and passwords without their approval or notification.
A well-known local photographer got a surprise when he found a listing of his photography services on 88DB.com. It seems 88DB.com impersonated him by setting up the account "on his behalf". Though that probably wasn't as bad as creating an inaccurate list of services which "he" offers.
The photographer has since made a report to both the Singapore consumer watchdog CASE (Consumers Association of Singapore) and investigative and enforcement agency for white-collar crime CAD (Commercial Affairs Department). However, both parties said it's not a matter of fraud as 88DB.com has committed no crime. What the h*&^?
Check out the discussions on the Singapore Flickr Meetup Group's discussion board: here
This has raised awareness among photographers over whether their photos, which are publicly displayed on Flickr, Facebook, and even their personal Website, have been borrowed, used or even circulated on the Web without their permission and knowledge. Now, the group of photographers are finding ways to safeguard their works by placing watermarks on their photographs.
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I've heard of 88DB's go to market strategy around 1.5 years back where they wanted to build the biggest online directory in SG so they hire a team of telemarketers who create a listing for you on their directory, then call you (the company) if you'd like to extend that listing into a full listing.
Actually it's the same strategy adopted by many traditional directories like Yellow Pages, Green Book, etc so I didn't see anything wrong with that. Like you are already listed on Yellow Pages with or without your permission. You can then go pay to make that a better listing or something.
But now that you mentioned photography and copyrights, that's a whole new different twist to it I guess, something worth pondering about in lieu of copyright laws, though this is really not so much a privacy issue. Even if the photographers watermark their photos, in this case it'd still be used as it'd be listed in their names/service in the first place anyways?
Feb 22, 2008 13:07
In any case, its never nice to not inform the party and set up an account with out their knowledge. That's what privacy and policies are all about.
I am also getting very annoyed with companies that sells my database to call centers. I mean how would I know if a contest form that I filled up at a shopping center or an event would be sold to the public later. Anyway I always read the T&C and only make sure the companies state that they dont sell the data. But then again you will never know if their employee do so.
Once I had an ex staff from Audio House sending me a SMS about him leaving the company and promoting his insurance services. I only bought 1 tv and washing machine so that does not qualify me as a regular client. Naturally I called Audio House and told them what happened and gave them the details of the emplyee.
I dont know what happened next.
Feb 22, 2008 14:38
but Suzz, if you are a business, information of your services/products are already in the public domain, so privacy policies do not apply here.
I'm curious if you know whether 88DB uses the "accounts" to contact users on the photographer's behalf or publish the photographer's photos on his "profile".
If so, then there's a clear case of misrepresentation or IP infringement here.
Feb 25, 2008 00:36
from what I know, 88DB doesn't use the accounts to contact users on the photographer's account, just to sell the accounts to the business owners. If the owners don't buy, they just leave the accounts I think
Feb 26, 2008 23:41
Ed, from what I heard the photographers were NOT informed.
I would like to clarify that it is NOT about the complimentary listing your company or services that will get on any business owners nerves.
But its the fact that an account with their user id and passwords were created "on their behalf". That call privacy and rights invasion. Like you suddenly got a "free" account somewhere without your knowledge.
Feb 28, 2008 16:44
About Suzanna Low
Suzanna Low has more than a decade of hands-on in interactive and graphics design, e-commerce and online marketing. In fact, true to the Singapore culture, she's a diehard shopaholic and fancies herself a pioneering e-retailer who learned the painful way how to set up store back when ecommerce emerged on the Internet landscape. Low also claims to speak feline language and sometimes seeks approval for her blog topics with her two house cats.
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