Is it illegal to use someone else pictures and pretend to be them on facebook or online in general ?

[xratedbeauty]

i found many websites where people take my pics, make a profile with them and put my name with it or change my name! should i call 911? can i sue?

[Joseph the Second]

Yes. It's called "Identity Theft." And if You get a GOOD lawyer, You can Sue Them- & get them Thrown in Jail !! :o

[Inda Cloud]

If you don't want it to be stolen - don't put it on the web. Very simple stuff.

And unless they are *really* stealing your identity - credit cards, social security number, that kind of thing, law enforcement won't go near it.

What you CAN do is register your pics - this costs like 35 bucks a pop at copyright.gov.

Then you hire a lawyer versed in copyright laws and go after the folks who steal your pics. But they have to be registered in order for you to take them to court, and then you only get monetary ddamages.

[Nick]

Just as Inda said, it's not really identity theft as I said before. Identity theft typically infers that the other party is using your identity toward their own gain. you put your information onto the internet, it's free reign from there, if everyone can see it, anyone can take it. I mean look at shutterstock, their files are copyrighted so if anyone steals them and makes profit, they can sue. you, your photos are like google images, free for anyone to see or download.

in short, your photos really mean nothing aswell as your name, harsh, but true, look up your name on google, there's probably thousands of people with the exact same last and first name.

[bcnu]

The photographer owns the copyright. Others have only the limited right to download and save a copy for their own personal, private use. Posting them anywhere else requires your permission, as you own the exclusive right to duplicate and distribute your original works.

File a copyright complaint with every website where you find your copyrighted works being used without your permission. They MUST "promptly disable" those files unless they want you to sue THEM for what some ignorant member uploaded to their site.

You can register hundreds of your own copyrights for one $35 fee. This gives you the right to sue for up to $150,000 in "statutory damages" for each photo used without your permission, not to mention your attorneys' fees. 17 USC 504, 505.

[Barbusie1]

It's called Identity theft...