Im Beginning To Wonder If Ebay Even Thinks Before They Change Policies

I just got an email from a few people, detailing eBay’s new policy over photos. Starting shortly, all user photos uploaded to eBay’s systems will be available for use for anyone who chooses to use them. That means, when you post your card, your clothes, your anything, someone else can use your pictures when they sell theirs.

I have one thing to ask.

WHAT THE FUCK ARE THEY THINKING?

As if eBay wasnt a breeding ground for counterfeit cards and other valuable items, it has now opened the floodgates. Now, instead of providing your own photo, or unethically ripping someone else’s picture, you now have an eBay sanctioned way of scamming people. Im guessing the pictures will act much like the video game, DVD, and book libraries, where stock pictures are listed as such, but for people who arent smart enough to tell the difference, its a license to cheat. Considering these people are already the ones that buy the cards we laugh at, its going to get bad.

Im praying this isnt abused, but we all know what is going to happen.

Fuck.

Text from FCB:

Warning: eBay will be using photos without creators’ permission.

Starting on August 31st, eBay is going to institute a new policy where photos you upload to any listing are put into a “catalog” of online images that any eBay user can then use for their own listings. The default setting for this is opt-in, which is a problem if you, like me, consider your photographs your property and want to control how they are used and by whom. A copyright notice is posted with a link to your user profile, but no additional information is given, and the link is quite small.

Since the default setting is opt-in, and eBay has not sent messages out about this, a lot of people are going to be caught flat-footed by this new policy.

Again, the default for this setting is YES, you have opted in. Meaning “Yes, I will allow eBay to make my photos available for anyone to use.”

If you do not want eBay to make the photos you upload to all of your future auctions available to other users in a sort of catalog process, you need to go change your settings now, before August 31st. If you opt out after then, any photos you upload between the 31st and when you opt out will still be eligible for inclusion in their “catalog.”

In order to opt out of this so-not-okay process, do the following. I’ve broken it down exhaustively. Hopefully your eBay pages look like mine.

1) Go to your eBay summary page (“My eBay”).

2) On the left-hand side, there are three tabs that say “Activity,” “Messages,” and “Account.” Hover over the “Account” tab.

3) A drop-down list will appear. Move your mouse down to “Site Preferences” and click.

4) You will be taken to a page with a list of site options for selling, shipping, and listing. About the sixth from the top is “Share your Photos.” Click on the word “show” on the right hand side next to this option.

5) The box will expand, and if you are opted in, “yes” will appear. If you are opted out, “no” will appear. A small “edit” link will appear below the “show” link. If you want to change the settings, click “edit.”

6) You will be taken to a new page with the following text: If you’d like to opt-out of this program, please do so by checking this box and clicking the “submit” button below.
(If you opt-out before August 31, 2009, none of your photos will be considered for inclusion in this program unless you opt back in at a later time. If you opt-out after August 31, 2009, any photos we select for inclusion in this program prior to your opt-out may continue to be used in the catalog)

7) If you want to opt out of the program, check the ticky box on the left-hand side next to the text, then go down and click the “submit” button.

8) You will go back to the settings screen you were just on, and there will be a green checkmark and a confirmation message. Go down to the “Share your Photos” option again and click “show.” Your setting should now appear as “no.”

I am sure that this will be a useful feature for some people, for some items, but the automatic opt-in is not okay with me at all, as I don’t want my photographs used to illustrate someone else’s auction for a different item, not for any reason whatsoever.

I thought you should all be warned. Please spread the word. This is a slimy, underhanded thing to do, and I hope it bites them in the ass.

ETA: It appears that this might not be affecting everyone, but I urge you to go check your settings anyway. Mine was defaulted to “yes.” Maybe it’s a browser thing, I don’t know, but y’all should probably go make sure.

I Heart Ebay Idiots and Idiots In General

Oh my god, Wheeler, thank you for sending this to me.

So, lets get you the run down on this auction:

Graded 1/1 – Check
Graded NFL Shield Card – Check
Non-gem grade – Check
Complete and Utter Idiot – Check
Population report published in the auction – WTF?

Not only do you have a guy who has ridiculously graded his NFL shield Felix Jones card from NT, but he has also published a population report in his auction. Why? If the card is a 1/1 is there really a need to show where all the cards have fallen? No, as there is only one. Duh. See, the practice of grading cards like this is fucking stupid to begin with, but to show the bidders where it stands among its non-existant counterparts is borderline mentally disabled.

Again, what will grading this card serve? Nothing. Also, what will adding the pop report to the auction serve? Nothing, but it will show that you are a clueless douche. Congrats my nizzle, you are one with the brain.

Donruss Becomes The Official Card Of The NFL Draft

Whatever the hell that means. Either way, here is the official statement:

Officials at Panini America have reached an agreement with the NFL to become the “Official Trading Card of the 2009 NFL Draft.” This year’s event will be held at Radio City Music Hall in New York, April 25th and 26th. Through the sponsorship agreement, Panini America will have access to photography from the event, as well as officially licensed NFL Draft memorabilia worn by the players.

“Rookie cards are key to the success of our trading card programs,” said Panini America Vice President of Sales & Marketing Mike Anderson. “The relationship allows us to be the first trading card company to have access to the top picks. The growing popularity of NFL Draft day is incredible exposure for trading cards and our company.”

The agreement will give Panini America the NFL jerseys and hats the players wear after NFL commissioner Roger Goodell calls their name. These unique items will be incorporated into future trading card programs.

“We felt the memorabilia from this events would be a great way to enhance our programs throughout 2009,” adds Anderson. “These jerseys and hats are special, they are the first time the rookies get to wear their new colors – so its going to create some some very unique collectibles.”

Officials from Panini America will also be on-hand producing and distributing cards of the top picks (with their new teams) as their names are called.

Umm, so they want draft worn hat cards? Huh? So you give them a hat, they put it on, and take it off? This is totally lame. I already do my best to avoid event used jersey cards without autos, I will avoid these like the plague.
h/t Groat