RENNTECH fails Copyright Infringement 101
In this digital age of the internets, there's no way to lock down the content you produce and then publish for all to see. Your words, photos and videos can be stolen from right under your nose and you'll likely never find out about it. Unless whoever stole your stuff emails it right back to you. That's the position in which we found ourselves today after reading a press release emailed to us by RENNTECH. Seems the famous Mercedes-Benz tuner is getting into the business of modifying Bentleys. Its first product is an ECU module that'll bump the power output of Crewe's twin-turbo W12 from 552 horsepower 625.
We were confused, however, when browsing the high-res photos that RENNTECH sent along in the press kit. Perhaps that's because three of them are ours. I should know, I'm the one who reviewed the 2006 Bentley Continental Flying Spur back in August, 2006. I'm also the one who photographed it in a mall parking lot, so I knew right away that my babies had been stolen despite RENNTECH's pitiful attempt at photoshopping away the evidence (I meant for the parking lot stripes to reflect off the sheetmetal, thank you very much!). We're not the type to get too worked up over a thing like this, though stealing someone else's work will at least make you look stupid (ding, ding, ding) and might just get you sued (Did I mention those photos are owned by our parent company, AOL?).
BONUS: This gave us occasion to update our old review of the 2006 Bentley Continental Flying Spur and add our precious pics to a new gallery. We also made sure to slap a copyright notice on the review this time.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
BigMcLargeHuge 3:44PM (5/22/2008)
Hilarious!
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Snutz 3:46PM (5/22/2008)
Normally I would love to see the full power of the AOL conglomerate come down on these guys, but I have a soft spot in my heart for car tuners. Actually, if I ever own a Bentley I would never let these guys touch it anyways so screw it, do as you please.
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Rob 3:47PM (5/22/2008)
All aboard the fail boat! How funny, tons of money for modding Benzs, but can't pay a photographer or buy a camera.
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shadysi 3:48PM (5/22/2008)
wow... pwnd
the refelections in the rear shot are clearly still visible!
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kc 3:49PM (5/22/2008)
they even went so far as to rotate the wheels a little. Why not just do your own stinkin photoshoot?
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epilonious 4:46PM (5/22/2008)
I'm thinking that Autoblog actually stole a photo from a RENNTECH promo and used it in their review spread.
they ADDED the trees and the yellow line.
Not really, but conspiracies are fun.
rndmnme 7:09PM (5/22/2008)
Conspiracy rumors abound had it placed that Eppy wasn't coming back either!
CarlosMC 10:51AM (5/24/2008)
They didn't rotate the wheels, they LOWERED the suspension, specially the rear!
JapanCarBlog.com 3:51PM (5/22/2008)
I'd assume a company that's announcing they now tune Bentleys would have a Bentley to photograph. Atleast have the decency to credit the source and not deny a blatant rip off.
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Playdrv4me 3:54PM (5/22/2008)
I would offer the boys at Renntech a stern warning never to pull a stunt like this again. I would imagine they simply didn't take the amateurish (no offense to you) Autoblog photos seriously and thought they could just do with them as they pleased and no one would find out as you mentioned. However, stealing someone else's work without asking permission is never acceptable and if they do it again they deserve maximum litigation the law allows.
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madgamer 3:57PM (5/22/2008)
lol, even the underhood shot is yours, just cropped funny. Its an ECU mod, it seems like they could have found someone (or even a dealer) that would let them use one for 5 minutes to shoot a couple of pics.
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BigMcLargeHuge 4:14PM (5/22/2008)
Did they at least say 'thank you.' ?
LOL
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Car Designer 4:04PM (5/22/2008)
Actually, it is considered appropriation, and due to the many changes to the picture, it would be hard to claim copyright infringement. However, AOL is large enough to sue anyone for anything and probably have a good shot at winning. I am however surprised that a Blog feels compelled to complain about infringment when their entire existance is based on finding, and presenting news stories from other sources, often times with lottle or no change in verbage. Simply adding a "tip" thanks, or link makes it legal though....the law can often have fine grey lines to walk....blow it out your ass Autoblog.
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John Neff 4:15PM (5/22/2008)
First of all, we're not suing RENNTECH, we're just having some fun at their expense because they took our photos. Second, we do more than change the verbiage of the sources we link to. The purpose of a blog is to point people to interesting things on the internet while adding a blogger's own perspective, opinion and personality. Perhaps some blogs you visit steal what other people write, but we write every post ourselves without using copy and paste.
bruno 4:22PM (5/22/2008)
I was thinking the same thing. I don't know the law, but I assume autoblog is posting pictures someone else took all the time. Is the problem merely that they didn't credit autoblog.com? It is funny that a company would use the photo rather than just do their own shoot and chop that one up digitally instead.
Alex 4:22PM (5/22/2008)
It's called citing your source. In high school and college you learn that you can take another's words, verbatim, and duplicate it. So long as you cite the source of your information. It's completely above par and legitimate in the academic world.
To take even a part of another's research or documentation and not cite them is plagiarism.
Let's not blow anything out anyone asses.
Rob 4:23PM (5/22/2008)
How do you like working at RennTech?
kgm777 4:12PM (5/22/2008)
In the mid 90s, American Airlines stole the links and descriptions verbatim off of my web site and put it up on their safety site without crediting the source. Had to threaten them with a suit to get them to take it down. Seems like "copy and paste" is just too easy and too tempting.
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Jimmy 4:18PM (5/22/2008)
Tell them to give you a new Renntech Benz and you'll let them off easy this time. =)
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Soccer Mom 4:18PM (5/22/2008)
Both sides are quite funny and rediculous:
1. RENNTECH for taking photos from a Blog and Photoshopping them. One would expect better from a Bentley tuner - at least to be able to have a Bentley to take pictures of.
2. AutoBlog bringing up "copyright infringement" and legal stuff. Aitoblog's entire existence depends on taking stuff of others and showing them to the online community. And once it has something of its own it starts talking of protecting intellectual rights.
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