pro
Sage Morgante
Figurative Artist, Marketer & Art Director
New to Contra
Sage is ready for their next project!
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?
2
12
241
Mobile Suit Gundam Wing: Ground Level
1
61
Nostalgic Tech Poster Set
4
5
137
I can draw irritated cats all day, but this set is close to my heart -- Happy Birthday Mabel 🎉
3
9
363
All this snow has revealed one universal truth: people take their parking spots very seriously. So keeping that in mind … are these tiny people helping each other dig out a car or are they getting revenge on a space thief? 😂
1
141
Swimming Positions 😉
2
3
152
Hockey Players In Position
1
150
Planes Taking Flight Paintings
0
148
Modern Bauhaus Chess Game
1
153
Tiny Readers Library Set
4
19
590
Tiny Astronauts Exploring Space
0
138