Is stolen content allowed now?

[Vodoka]

Hey, I was looking through Steam's store, and noticed a bunch of visual novels that are blatantly using art lifted from other places, either existing games or random pieces of fan-art in net.
I assume this is done without original creators' knowledge, which would make it theft.

Here's some examples:
http://store.steampowered.com/app/733260/Daddys_Girls/
The second screenshot(with bath) is using art from visual novel called AQUA by Sorehane. The final screenshot uses Idolmaster art which I haven't been able to identify.
Given that art-style in other screenshots also varies wildly, I have no doubt that rest are stolen assets too.

http://store.steampowered.com/app/746290/University_Life/
The third screenshot is using cropped official art from ToLove Ru, by Yabuki. Again, I doubt that any of the art featured in the game is freeware or actually original, given how different the styles are.

In short, I'm wondering if stolen assets are allowed to be used now? Steam doesn't have an option for reporting game using them and given that these games still remain up, I would assume so!
This brings so many exciting possibilities to the table, maybe I could publish a hot new RPG, Notblivion, stealing assets from Bethesda!

[Twinkie Wiener Sandwich]

This is not the first time a steam game (initially) got away with stolen assets.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSbwmYsbTKo

[cinedine]

引用自 Vodoka：

In short, I'm wondering if stolen assets are allowed to be used now? Steam doesn't have an option for reporting game using them and given that these games still remain up, I would assume so!

It's not and they have. You can file a DMCA takedown just as with any other content providing platform.
But it's not your place to file one. If you think the content is stolen, inform the rights holder and they will or will not take action. Steam will not act off your assumptions.

[Vodoka]

引用自 cinedine：

引用自 Vodoka：

In short, I'm wondering if stolen assets are allowed to be used now? Steam doesn't have an option for reporting game using them and given that these games still remain up, I would assume so!

It's not and they have. You can file a DMCA takedown just as with any other content providing platform.
But it's not your place to file one. If you think the content is stolen, inform the rights holder and they will or will not take action. Steam will not act off your assumptions.

So I can steal assets as long as original creator doesn't find out? That is absolutely ridiculous.
The case with practically all of this art is that they are either from Japanese games, or Japanese fan-artists who really don't have much of a knowledge of Steam, and won't really be checking the marketplace to see if somebody is using their work without permission.

So should users try to find the stolen assets, then message original creators with help of Google translate?
Get real, it should be the job of marketplace holder not to sell products with stolen assets, and not to just ignore theft until original creator complains about it even if it has been clearly identified.

[Spawn of Totoro]

引用自 Vodoka：

Get real, it should be the job of marketplace holder not to sell products with stolen assets, and not to just ignore theft until original creator complains about it even if it has been clearly identified.

Problem is, users don't know if the game has permission or not to use such assets.

If you file a DMCA on behalf of the owner, but the owner has a contract with the developer to use the work in question, you could very well be hurting both parties involved.

There is no way for you to know of such a contract, so no, it is not clearly identified.

You don't need to have a conversation with the owner as simply sending a link would be enough to inform them.

So, no, stolen work is not allowed, but Valve has no way of identifying it as such until the owner comes forwords and says as such.

[Washell]

引用自 Vodoka：

Get real, it should be the job of marketplace holder not to sell products with stolen assets, and not to just ignore theft until original creator complains about it even if it has been clearly identified.

That's not a workable system.

[Vodoka]

引用自 Washell：

引用自 Vodoka：

Get real, it should be the job of marketplace holder not to sell products with stolen assets, and not to just ignore theft until original creator complains about it even if it has been clearly identified.

That's not a workable system.

Yes it is. Simply hire people to look through games that have been submitted for release. Right now it costs 100 dollars to publish game on Steam, simply use some of that to pay somebody for quality assurance.

[Spawn of Totoro]

引用自 Vodoka：

Yes it is. Simply hire people to look through games that have been submitted for release. Right now it costs 100 dollars to publish game on Steam, simply use some of that to pay somebody for quality assurance.

That would require those looking through it to know where and what all art is and is from and who is contracted for what.

As Washell said "That's not a workable system.", especialy as many of those contracts are no publicly available.

[ErickaUnlimited]

引用自 Vodoka：

引用自 Washell：

That's not a workable system.

Yes it is. Simply hire people to look through games that have been submitted for release. Right now it costs 100 dollars to publish game on Steam, simply use some of that to pay somebody for quality assurance.

Again, like Washell said, that's not a workable system at all for the exact thing Totoro said:

引用自 Spawn of Totoro：

引用自 Vodoka：

Get real, it should be the job of marketplace holder not to sell products with stolen assets, and not to just ignore theft until original creator complains about it even if it has been clearly identified.

Problem is, users don't know if the game has permission or not to use such assets.

If you file a DMCA on behalf of the owner, but the owner has a contract with the developer to use the work in question, you could very well be hurting both parties involved.

There is no way for you to know of such a contract, so no, it is not clearly identified.

You don't need to have a conversation with the owner as simply sending a link would be enough to inform them.

So, no, stolen work is not allowed, but Valve has no way of identifying it as such until the owner comes forwords and says as such.

[Vodoka]

引用自 Spawn of Totoro：

So, no, stolen work is not allowed, but Valve has no way of identifying it as such until the owner comes forwords and says as such.

They should obtain such means. When you open your marketplace for literally everything, you have to make sure that law is being upheld there, and that the rules of marketplace are only being allowed.

引用自 Spawn of Totoro：

引用自 Vodoka：

Yes it is. Simply hire people to look through games that have been submitted for release. Right now it costs 100 dollars to publish game on Steam, simply use some of that to pay somebody for quality assurance.

That would require those looking through it to know where and what all art is and is from and who is contracted for what.

And that is the burder marketplace holder must take.

The argument that "current system is functional" is ridiculous. Sure, it sort of works for Valve, but it allows publishers to blatantly break the laws, with Valve not doing a thing to stop it.
And they simply do not have means to stop this from happening because they have not put any resources into it. The simple way to solve this is to invest some manpower into making sure that all submissions actually follow marketplace guidelines and laws.
As it is, Steam Direct is simply 100 dollar submission fee for quaranteed access. So just don't make that into quaranteed access, have somebody check the games and if they are either using stolen assets or are absolutely broken rubbish, don't let them in, but keep the money.

[Spawn of Totoro]

引用自 Vodoka：

They should obtain such means. When you open your marketplace for literally everything, you have to make sure that law is being upheld there, and that the rules of marketplace are only being allowed.

Not possible. Not even the government can keep track of that amount of infromation.

引用自 Vodoka：

And that is the burder marketplace holder must take.

No, it is not. Legal, it is on the copyright holder to keep track of, and to protect, his/her own work.

引用自 Vodoka：

The argument that "current system is functional" is ridiculous. Sure, it sort of works for Valve, but it allows publishers to blatantly break the laws, with Valve not doing a thing to stop it.

Valve does what it can when such copyright happens and is reported. It is the only system as any other way would not be realistic.

引用自 Vodoka：

And they simply do not have means to stop this from happening because they have not put any resources into it. The simple way to solve this is to invest some manpower into making sure that all submissions actually follow marketplace guidelines and laws.

No one has the means to prevent such things from happening. The amount of manpower and money needed would be as much as the US Army's budget. Again, unrealistic.

If it were possible, then someone would have created a central company to handle such investigations for many companies and people.

引用自 Vodoka：

As it is, Steam Direct is simply 100 dollar submission fee for quaranteed access. So just don't make that into quaranteed access, have somebody check the games and if they are either using stolen assets or are absolutely broken rubbish, don't let them in, but keep the money.

It is not guaranteed access already. Games get checked to see if they run. To check for stolen assets would cost far more then $100 a game in manpower alone, let alone legal fees an resources.


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