okay guys, we've heard it all.
stealing graphics is bad
stealing graphics is unhealthy
you should not steal graphics
only mean people steal graphics
graphic stealers are dumb
i hate graphic stealers
YEAH, YEAH, YEAH, it 's the same banter every. single. time.
the truth is, there will always be graphics stealers just as there will always be trolls, bullies, and stupid people. fyi: you cannot have smart people if you don't have stupid people.
now if you are confused by how anyone could possibly steal graphics on the internet as graphics aren't necessarily tangible objects, think about plagiarism when people copy other people's words and take all the credit. now just replace 'words' with 'graphics' in the last thought, and that is precisely what graphic stealing is. of course there are many different ways one may steal graphics such as taking someone's art and tattooing it to their butt without permission from the original artist or taking people's images and selling for profit, but here's the concern.
graphic stealing on wattpad is literally just someone taking a graphic and calling it their own. it's honestly not that bad if you really think about it. Now if this person was using your graphics to make profit (meaning money $$$$$$$$$), then there's a huge problem, and you should stop that person. although, you do want to try and make them stop. there's nothing as painful as watching someone getting compliments and credited for your work without doing anything about it.
the main point of this chapter is directed towards the petty graphic stealing that gets all these graphic designers and makers' panties in knots because tbh graphic stealing on wattpad is absolutely nothing. you can report the comment and the mods will take care of it. there is no need to go into banshee mode and bash trolls because drama and a reaction is what trolls want. these people can get mad all they want, but once someone has told them how it is wrong then there is no need to keep piling on them. your feelings of frustration and anger are valid, but giving them the reaction they may want isn't what you should be doing.
there is a 99% chance that people are not stupid enough to take your graphics and call them their own to get hired at a thread or just to get requests. that's simply false advertising, and if they really wanted requests, they could just get fake ones? Especially if you add the words 'you can steal this if you want idrc'. It's now been paraded around the mdc or wherever you've posted it and now understand it's been seen and people hiring will know to look out for those. not to mention the fact that since it says you can steal the graphic no one now actually wants to steal it??? it just completely lacks appeal and doesn't give the satisfying feeling of trolling you. reverse psychology people.
the thing is, most people who steal graphics on wattpad, note that i said specifically on wattpad as in the mdc and threads, are just trolls. trolls who are trying to rile you up and get a reaction out of you. they are just seeking attention. they don't do it for the graphics, they do it for the attention and popularity whether it makes them notorious or not. Usually these accounts are soon deleted and you never see them again, but still, these are trolls. don't give them what they want.
the only people who unknowingly steal graphics? Those are the people who are given these graphics to them by a friend (ie: hey, can i borrow a thread that i can use for my new cover thread?). that's basically the only way it's excusable. if your friend does that to you, kill the- i mean kindly inform them in a way that they will understand to never do it again lest die. But death is preferable. if they don't care, well never take shit from them again. If they can't respect copyright and others hard work, then i doubt that you want to be friends with them or if they even take design seriously. those are the people who call themselves your friend, take your cat, and call it theirs, and then it's theirs forever and you can't get it back and you die of depression or no-cat-ebolaidsism. if you think you have no-cat-ebolaidsism, please call your doctor immediately as it is a vital and cancerous disease.
ANYWAYS-
With that problem in mind, don't immediately grab a machete and slit their throats. do not type "FUCK YOU YOU GRAPHIC STEALING MOTHER FUCKING BITCH. YOU THINK YOU CAN STEAL MY SHIT? WELL FUCK YOU. I HOPE YOU DIE IN A HOLE FOR THIS STUPID GRAPHIC STEALING BULLSHIT. YOU'LL BE HEARING FROM MY HARVARD GRADUATE TEN TIME AWARD FOR LAWYERING ALSO YALE POWERFUL LAWYER WHO HAS A NOBEL PEACE PRIZE FOR CURING STDs!!1112!!#!" on their thread. Instead, pm them something nice like "On *insert thread name here* I see you've taken this graphic from me. Please take it down. I have not given you permission or rights to use my graphic." if that person refuses, post it on their thread. Give wattpad or imgur or photobucket a nudge. (only if it's used in one of those platforms). You could always make an angry rant thread or a calm, collected thread about the issue. Hell, link them this chapter. Note that you should only open a thread about this if it really gets out of hand and you need help as opening a thread will only elevate the drama and could be completely unnecessary. You might even get a chapter about you in mdc based rant books about your thread!
How to prevent graphic stealing? You're out of luck, there's no way to do that. Prevent others from taking credit for your work and win? Simply just add a watermark. People will steal your graphics, watermark or not. don't get into a huge fit about it either. This is wattpad. nothing here is going viral other than badly written fanfictions or decently-written romance books.
And with that said, comment anything you think we forgot to mention or any confusion you have after reading this chapter. However, if you do have no-cat-ebolaidsism, Lauren and I are not doctors, so please don't consult that with us as we will be of no help.