Mod. Notice Update to Competition Policy

[Dylan8]

It has occured to me that our policy surrounding competitions needs streamlining and reform in light of several failings in internal competitions, as well as external competitions from people looking to have logos and jumpers designed for their local clubs and what not.

In order to address this, I've tweaked how we're dealing with approving competitions.

For regular competitions, the previous arbitrary 10 likes rules will be replaced by likes + moderator approval. Moderators reserve to right to approve or deny any competition. However, if a competition idea gets a reasonable amount of likes it's likely we'll let it go ahead. Slightly more ambigious than 10 likes, yes, but it will allow the best competitions to start sooner.

Competitions from outside of the board, ala those from people looking for what is essentially a free commission, will no longer require moderator approval. If the OP is not up to standard, they will be moved to the request thread. We just can't guarentee anything when it comes to these competitions, even if the person making the attempts to make promises and guarentees. We'll operate under an "enter on your own volition" policy here - there will be no endorsements of these competitions from moderators.


The appropriate threads will be updated soon.

 

[DiamondGuy]

IMO There should be a text automatically provided below external competitions that states in detail what has happened in the past and that participation is either at your own risk or outright not recommended. I don't think it's enough to say "people understand the risks now" -- new posters won't, and some have short memories. We need to protect ourselves and our community from freeloading morons.

 

[Dylan8]

IMO There should be a text automatically provided below external competitions that states in detail what has happened in the past and that participation is either at your own risk or outright not recommended. I don't think it's enough to say "people understand the risks now" -- new posters won't, and some have short memories. We need to protect ourselves and our community from freeloading morons.

I absolutely agree and we'll be moderating the threads. Like I said, those clearly not up to scratch will be moved to the scrapheap that is the request thread. As for automatic text, well, that's not possible as far as I know but we'll be doing our best to advise people of the possibility that things will go awry. Not to say that these things don't work out sometimes.

 

[Craegus]

I would also add an addendum to the external competition rules that states something along the lines of:

"Should a reward be offered and not followed up upon and an original design from this board is found to be used by said club/organisation without promised compensation/permission from the designer to use without compensation, the designer of said item has the ability to obtain legal advice in regards to the use of a copyrighted design unlawfully and can move forward with action against your club/organisation if they choose to do so."

Though I doubt any of the clubs that have failed to move forward with designs from here, or have just vanished without notice have actually used out designs, and though it does sound harsh, this addendum allows us a bit of protection just in case as any design that we produce is automatically copyrighted unless permission is expressively given to use it.

 

[Dylan8]

I would also add an addendum to the external competition rules that states something along the lines of:

"Should a reward be offered and not followed up upon and an original design from this board is found to be used by said club/organisation without promised compensation/permission from the designer to use without compensation, the designer of said item has the ability to obtain legal advice in regards to the use of a copyrighted design unlawfully and can move forward with action against your club/organisation if they choose to do so."

Though I doubt any of the clubs that have failed to move forward with designs from here, or have just vanished without notice have actually used out designs, and though it does sound harsh, this addendum allows us a bit of protection just in case as any design that we produce is automatically copyrighted unless permission is expressively given to use it.

I'm hesitant to add information about legal consequences. Perhaps that is up to individuals should content theft happen.

What do you think Chief?

 

[Craegus]

I'm hesitant to add information about legal consequences. Perhaps that is up to individuals should content theft happen.

What do you think Chief?

Well it is an option as there is always sadly a chance as we all know that our work can be stolen and used (thankfully to any of our knowledge it hasn't happened yet for a design competition with an external organisation), I think in the case of a competition that the potential repercussions of failing to stick to the rewards mentioned while still using a design made on the mention of said reward should be stated. The posting of the awarding of rewards for the creation of a product is basically a contract, so why not have a statement that protects our designers apart from post at your own risk. This then puts the onus on the creator of the competition to make sure that they follow up on their rewards should they actually go through with the whole competition.

 

[Bacon Warrior]

Any and all external comps I enter from now on, I will be covering my entry in watermarks. I suggest you lot do the same.

At least that way, if they want to steal your entry, they'd have to go to the trouble of completely recreating it.

 

[Chief]

I'm hesitant to add information about legal consequences. Perhaps that is up to individuals should content theft happen.

What do you think Chief?

I don't understand what that paragraph is saying.

 

[Dylan8]

I don't understand what that paragraph is saying.

There's a tendancy for people to come on the board, create a competition to make a new logo for their footy club or whatever, then they disappear. This is often after they've promised a reward for the entry they've deemed the winner of the competition.

Would it be alright to put up a legal warning regarding promising a reward for content but never providing said reward? I'm not sure you would have the answer to this but I don't want to start making legal implications on the forum without admin knowledge.

 

[Craegus]

There's a tendancy for people to come on the board, create a competition to make a new logo for their footy club or whatever, then they disappear. This is often after they've promised a reward for the entry they've deemed the winner of the competition.

Would it be alright to put up a legal warning regarding promising a reward for content but never providing said reward? I'm not sure you would have the answer to this but I don't want to start making legal implications on the forum without admin knowledge.

It was a bit more than that, it was promise a reward, not follow through and still use the design. The failure to not provide the reward is not the legal issue, it is using a copyrighted design that would only be released of that copyright for use with the presenting/payment of a reward.

 

[Craegus]

Any and all external comps I enter from now on, I will be covering my entry in watermarks. I suggest you lot do the same.

At least that way, if they want to steal your entry, they'd have to go to the trouble of completely recreating it.

That is why I have been doing it for years, even with designs for non-external competitions.

 

[Chief]

There's a tendancy for people to come on the board, create a competition to make a new logo for their footy club or whatever, then they disappear. This is often after they've promised a reward for the entry they've deemed the winner of the competition.

Would it be alright to put up a legal warning regarding promising a reward for content but never providing said reward? I'm not sure you would have the answer to this but I don't want to start making legal implications on the forum without admin knowledge.

I would say they must deposit that reward with a trusted party.

 

[Jones2ByrneJones]

I would say they must deposit that reward with a trusted party.

PayPal?

 

[rabbitoh21]

If you have created a design and not given someone a right to use it, you automatically have copyright in Australia. If you receive compensation for your design in the idea of that person then receiving the right to use it/transfer copyright then you have surrendered and transferred your copyright. No ifs ands or buts, that's the law.