Take a look at Toyotanation.com, a site with Toyota logos, images, and content, privatly owned and Toyota ignoes those obvious copyright violations. Again it goes back to the mindset that it’s okay until someone complains.

You mean if I had a Toyota and I took a photo of it and put it on my computer as wallpaper, *they* own the copyright on “my* photo? And if I were to share *MY* photo of *MY* car with others, I would be infringing *their* copyright???

I DON’T THINK SO!

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.
19001 South Western Ave.
Dept. WC11
Torrance, CA 90501

Subjects: Demand sent to Desktopnexus will not go unnoticed

Dear Toyota,

I came across a news article today that stated that Toyota sent a removal demand to Desktopnexus, a website that allows its users to upload computer desktop wallpapers for others to download. Some of these fan based wallpapers include photos of Toyota vehicles, which is under scrutiny of Toyota and for some reason warranted the furnishing of a DMCA take down notice to Desktopnexus.

When a car company makes high quality vehicles that cause people to enjoy such vehicles so much that they create fan based material showing images of those vehicles, it is a very good thing. These fan based creations serve the populace in such ways as allowing people to show ‘love’ for their Toyota vehicles, as well as providing free advertising for Toyota. Other people who download such creations show that there is even more interest in such vehicles, and may assist in convincing these people to buy a Toyota vehicle.

I personally have never downloaded a wallpaper from Desktopnexus, however, this blatant legal abuse of legal authority to send removal demands to a small Internet company for providing desktop wallpapers with images of Toyota vehicles goes too far. Because of such immoral actions, I have decided to no longer consider Toyota for my new family vehicle, or any other future vehicle needs and will be taking my business to another automotive company.

I hope that Toyota will stop such petty misuse of resources and abuse of laws that are meant to help companies and the people and, in the future, think of other ways to make use their vast resources for good. If Toyota does not, then I suspect that their business will suffer as more and more people become aware of these highly immoral, unwarranted actions that Toyota is taking against others.

Sincerely,

[NAME & ADDRESS OMITTED]

Of course, they’ll probably send lawyers after me for not agreeing with their philosophy. That would just end up hurting them even more since I can see the media swarming all over something like that.

The only thing stated at Toyota’s press website (where all the available imagery on Toyota’s models is available) is that if you want use their pictures you have to warn them.

That’s what I did for my http://prius-pt.com site, and I never got a single complaint about it.

They just want to know where you are using their pictures (and only their pictures, i.e. Toyota (C)), nothing else, nothing more.

It seems fair to me.

João Prates

and

2) I’m glad my wife bought a Nissan.

Then those who uploaded the files can be notified and they can supply counter notices. Unless Toyota then sues within ten days and gets a restraining order, the material can be restored and the site has no liability.

There is also grounds for damages for false removal demands or false copyright claims. But it still requires someone willing to say that the other side is acting with misconduct. Otherwise they will continue to do so. Sometimes the only way you can protect your freedoms is to take risks.

I’m glad I found out about this because I was considering the purchase of a Scion for my business.

Looks like I’ll get a Honda.

Both of those photos are ALMOST CERTAINLY from Toyota marketing material or at the very very very least a professional photo shoot.

I would practically guarantee that Chinese new year photo is from Toyota promotional materials.

Again. The request is idiotic. But both provided ‘fan pics’ are OBVIOUSLY professional studio shoots.

So unless those photos were taken by some fan with a large automobile photo studio someone’s copyright is being violated.

Take this one: http://cars.desktopnexus.com/wallpaper/11681/

Great lighting, setting, and color. Also, someone cleared the tiremarks before taking the shot.

Several others looks to be professional renderings, including the examples posted in this article.

Toyota paid photographers and artists a lot of money to produce those pieces, and they have a right to tell that site to take em down.

A couple look amateur, but most aren’t. Matter of fact, almost all the cars posters on that site either are or use parts of professional images, and are clear violations of copyright law.

It is well within reason for Toyota to ask the site owner to remove posters violating their copyright. The owner of the site is supposed to validate that material submitted is legal to distribute before accepting it.

Also, why is Toyota expected to front the bill for all the work, just cause they have the money? If the artist that had created the artwork were dirt poor and barely managing to feed themselves, would Desktopnexus then be the bad guys then?

Harry Maugans decided to run a poster site. He decided to let people post images on his site. And he didn’t bother to check if the images posted their were violating copyright law.

There is nothing wrong with posting a picture of your own car online, but these pictures are clearly of professional origins. Harry need to pull almost every car poster from his site.

Damn, this back injury IS making me mean.

nice cars though :)