I just can't seem to make a decision about anything lately. I've been spending my computer time today reading more about the Pinterest controversy. I'm sure many of you have read the article dissecting the Terms of Service for their site. Now, having never used the site, I don't know what they say and have to go off of what other's are reporting. (And, I do admit that I don't always read through the TOS of many sites I use. That should probably change.)
To go into it further, I followed links around, starting with a little blurp at Mamacjt's blog about the other sneaky items that Pinterest snuck into their TOS. Whether you use the site or not, it may be in your best interest to check into what people are pushing to light.
These are the two blog posts I read today: http://rettspace.blogspot.com/2012/03/why-im-currently-not-using-pinterest.html and http://ddkportraits.com/2012/02/my-date-with-ben-silbermann-following-up-and-drying-my-tears/.
The first goes into some of what has already been said, but also bringing up that you are agreeing that Pinterest can sell the images pinned on their site. Even if you own the images, would you want to give that up to someone else? For now, Pinterest is not a profitable site. I had heard a news story about them over the weekend and thought that it seems much like how Facebook was in the beginning. Now look at them. Everything seems to be about money and less about fostering connections with others.
The second post is from the same person who seemed to have started all of this. The founder of Pinterest contacted her, which she goes into detail about. I personally don't buy the load of crap he fed her. I think he knows what he is doing and we all know he consulted a lawyer to even come up with the TOS for their site. Blame has been conveniently pushed onto the user and not them.
If you read anything, read the comments that others have made. There are comments from all viewpoints and so far, the conversation generated is a professional one.
In other matters related to the site, it's interesting to me that some of the commenters say they spend more time pinning inspiration than using it. This is one reason why I never sought to join the site. I do have links bookmarked on my computer, but I also print out images and/or instructions to use as inspiration. I have some taped on a wall and the others are in a binder. Yes, we are living in a paperless sort of world, but to me, having the inspiration directly in front of me has worked best. Like the old cliche, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.
In short, for now I will keep up that I am a Pinterest friendly blog, but will also add watermarks to every image I post. I'm not going to promise that I won't change my mind on this in the future. I just need to sit on this information for awhile, let it simmer, and allow a solution that is best for me to emerge.
2 comments:
Well spoken Katie. I have waited so long. I am still not using facebook and pinterest, but almost daily I am debating myself wether I should do it or not. I have been watermarking the photos that I care about for a while and I will stick to it. I will read your links later. I am spending too much time in the www already ;-)
Thanks for sharing these links Katie. More and more I think pulling my boards was a good decision for me to make. I might need to also stop pinning my own work too (although I doubt pinterest would sell photos of my crafty projects!).
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