Some artists are becoming more concerned about copyright issues and legal liability when posting and sharing images on the Pinterest social networking website, particularly because of Pinterests vague legal agreement that says they have rights to reproduce any images you post.
According to Dave Copland on ReadWriteWeb, any user who submits content to Pinterest, gives the worldwide, royalty-free, transferable license to use, copy and distribute their content. And the user agreement indemnifies them against any copyright claims. Pinterest also reserves the right to sell content submitted by users.
This is something to be aware of, since Pinterest drives more traffic than Google+, YouTube, and LinkedIn combined. It recently hit 10 million unique monthly views faster than any standalone site in U.S. history. (see http://tinyurl.com/82qo2y3)
To learn more about how artists feel about this issue, check out the conversation currently going on in a Linkedin Group The Art of Licensing with several viewpoints and article references. Here are just a few:
Is Pinterest a Haven for Copyright Violations?http://greekgeek.hubpages.com/hub/Is-Pinterest-a-Haven-for-Copyright-Violations
Why I Tearfully Deleted my Pinterest Inspiration Boards
http://ddkportraits.com/2012/02/why-i-tearfully-deleted-my-pinterest-inspiration-boards/#comment-143
Pinterest - three reasons for not using it
Artists upset with Pinterest over Copyright Issues
4 Things Pinterest isn't Saying
http://tinyurl.com/7nx3lgs
Pinterest's Predicament: Legal Issues Prevent Social Media Maturity
http://kbhilferlaw.com/pinterests-predicament-legal-issues-prevent-social-media-maturity/http://kbhilferlaw.com/pinterests-predicament-legal-issues-prevent-social-media-maturity/
A Lawyer Who Is Also A Photographer Just Deleted All Her Pinterest Boards Out Of Fear
http://www.businessinsider.com/pinterest-copyright-issues-lawyer-2012-2#ixzz1oAviIcfD
3 Ways Pinterest Can Damage Your Small Business
http://bit.ly/xz9PgC
Hey Photographers - Pinterest in not for you!
http://bit.ly/Ai4vtX
Is the Pinterest Problem Really a Problem?
http://bit.ly/wS4CFb