I deleted my Pinterest page. Here's why.
As a communications professional for more than 30 years, I've always been a stickler about copyright. I still do not understand where all the bloggers get their photos -- images from fashion shows, magazines, online stores, etc. I'm sure some are doing it in full compliance with the law, but I'm equally sure just as many are not. You just can't legally grab a photo off the internet and use it, even if you give credit. Most copyright owners won't come after you, but they can. I have challenged others for infringing on my copyright and my trademark, so my house needs to be clean.
When I first started the blog, I wanted to show pictures of celebrities with gray hair, so I signed up for a free service called PicApp that embedded links in the photos. It worked great at first, but then the links messed up old posts. I stopped using them.
I was also purchasing images from PR Photos. This service was great, but there are only so many celebrities with gray hair! I wanted to show images of everyday women with fabulous gray hair, and that is when Pinterest came along. I was so excited to have a venue for showcasing women rocking the silver. I figured there was some sort of legal loophole that made it OK, but it turns out there isn't. I never read the fine print, and the fine print says you aren't supposed to pin images without permission from the copyright owner. I hadn't realized that. Sadly, I do not have the time or will to contact all the copyright owners, so poof, my Pinterest page is gone.
My husband says I'm such a Girl Scout about rules, and he's probably right, but that's who I am. I hope you will continue to come to Rock the Silver® for the stories, the community of smart women and the occasional crappy photo I take myself.
