Pinfluence: The Complete Guide to Marketing Your Business with Pinterest

Protecting Your Copyright

If you don’t want your images being used on Pinterest—or if you discover that someone is using your images illegally—you do have options for controlling the use of your work. Pinterest will support you in taking down pins that violate your copyright. Here are a few things you can do:

• If you find that your images are being used on Pinterest in a way that you don’t think is legal or attributed fairly, you can either: 1) ask the pinner via a message (in the image comments) to link the image to your website (and preferably a sales page on your website where visitors can buy prints or other versions of the image); or 2) ask the pinner to remove the image completely. Usually Pinterest users will be more than happy to oblige either request.
• You can also use the Pinterest pin-reporting process to report the pinner if they refuse to comply after you write to them. The Pinterest website states:

  Every pin is accompanied by a “Report Pin” button, and users who discover infringing content can file a complaint with Pinterest through its Copyright Infringement Notification form. The notification requirements include a URL to prove that the content is your own, the URL to the infringing pin, your name, and home address.

  Find out more (and get the notification form) by going here: www.pinterest.com/about/copyright/dmca.

• If you decide after considering your options that you don’t want anyone pinning images from your website, you can add a small piece of code to your site ...