just3Dprint Selling 3D Models Downloaded from Thingiverse Without Permission

[Brian_Krassenstein]

An eBay seller calling themselves just3dprint was caught selling thousands of 3D models that were bulk downloaded from Thingiverse. 3D designer and Thingiverse user Louise Driggers aka Loubie discovered that some of her more notable designs were for sale in their store despite having a Creative Common Attribution Non-Commercial license. This type of license clearly states that anyone is free to download, modify, duplicate and 3D print her model freely, however there must be appropriate credit given to her and it cannot be used for commercial purposes of any kind. When Loubie asked that just3dprint remove her design from their store, things got a little ridiculous. Read more at 3DPrint.com: http://3dprint.com/120727/ebay-licensing-3d-models/

[Geoff]

Sadly they are selling my models . I don't mind so much but the memorial Spock print I made, they are selling for $120U.S.

I made something as a show of my appreciation..

http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:1356680

I'd say more but I've been involved in this for a couple weeks, and after the past week, it's all been pretty exhausting.

My take is that this company is basically only doing all this to have thier name instantly gain traction. Regardless of what the post is about, people are talking about them, which I think is exactly what they wanted.

[LambdaFF]

That is so crass ... sadly this shows that while 3D printing is getting traction the basic associated knowledge is not following.

[3dex ltd]

It's a shame that there are such idiots out there who do such appalling things.

The only upside is the laughs that reading the response on Thingiverse gave me. I bet the person behind just3dprint is a teenager in his bedroom who thinks he can do what he wants

[Feign]

It's the kind of problem that has been plaguing online artist communities for decades now, which is why most sites give an actual copyright to their members' submissions. I'm pretty sure Creative Commons gives the original creators of the file a copyright on the design, but actually filing a suit is costly.
Then again, defending against a suit is costly too, and threatening to file a copyright lawsuit is basically free. If it is just some kid in their basement, a flood of properly written C&D letters ought to scare them away posthaste.

[Geoff]

The only way to combat it successfully I have found so far is to just list the same item on Ebay yourself, for much less AND provide a link to the file if people want to print it themselves. Use the EXACT same search criteria as they do and since your sale was listed after their sale, you come out on top of the search results.

[curious aardvark]

there was a model selling service doing exactly this last year and advertising on 3dprint.com.
I mentioned it several times, but the adverts did not go away.

If brian and co aren't prepared to do what they can to stop this - who will ?

Hmm the ebay thing is selling actually printed models, not the model files.
Think that's a pretty grey area legally at the moment.

were they selling the actual .stl files that would be illegal - but selling actual things they've made, not sure how that stands.
I did see a simple plastic tray that was going for $84 - that's just insane.

[Geoff]

there was a model selling service doing exactly this last year and advertising on 3dprint.com.
I mentioned it several times, but the adverts did not go away.

If brian and co aren't prepared to do what they can to stop this - who will ?

Hmm the ebay thing is selling actually printed models, not the model files.
Think that's a pretty grey area legally at the moment.

were they selling the actual .stl files that would be illegal - but selling actual things they've made, not sure how that stands.
I did see a simple plastic tray that was going for $84 - that's just insane.

Their name doesn't come up much in the forums here, are you sure it was the same people? they haven't been selling 3D printed stuff that long

[curious aardvark]

I didn't say it was the same people - it wasn't, it was a uk based website selling models - all ripped from thingiverse and pretending to be by a couple of 'designers'.
And advertising on 3dprint.com.

Threads around somewhere - if the site search actually functioned I'd dig it up :-)

[DarkAlchemist]

They got me and my work and seriously 49 USD for a cookie cutter I made back in Nov 2012? After 45 pages I gave up looking but if there was one of mine there are surely more.