How are we handling art theft online? I know not everyone here sells their work, but this issue is getting worse—and it’s quickly becoming something that affects all of us. The first challenge is AI-driven enforcement used by large companies. These systems scan the internet and flag anything they believe is connected to their brand, often sending automatic cease-and-desist notices to artists. The problem is, these bots are far from perfect. Companies know this, but as long as they’re protecting their bottom line, the burden falls on artists to sort it out. The second issue is outright piracy. As artists, we all draw inspiration from one another—that’s part of the creative process. But what’s happening now goes far beyond inspiration. The amount of direct copying and reselling of original work is overwhelming. Even worse, when you ask for your work to be removed, many refuse. Some even demand proof of copyright ownership for every piece—which, as we all know, is unrealistic given the time and cost involved, and undermines the nature of creating. The third issue is the lack of meaningful enforcement. There’s no real system in place to protect artists at scale, and very little support when something goes wrong. I recently dealt with this firsthand on one of my prints, which led me to start thinking—should we be approaching this more collectively? Is there a way for artists to come together, share resources, and better protect our work?

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Sage Morgante

Brand + UX design that helps businesses grow