I uploaded covers and splashes for my story about a couple of months ago. They were approved back then.
But now, when I have published more than 15 episodes of my story, I get about 7 notifications from Episode, informing me regarding that they have rejected my splashes and covers due to ‘copyright infringement or takedown request’.
I had taken all those images from Pixabay. I have no idea, why would someone file claims for a public domain image.
Any idea how can I rectify this?
I am attaching one of these splashes right here. So if you have a theory about why they aren’t approved, do tell me.
I don’t use pixbay often or much but I hear people use it and it should be a commercial license. Episode images have to be a commercial license, not a public one. I recommend checking pixbay and seeing what license the image was under since some “free use sites” have specified licenses for use by image rather than as a whole. If it says commercial use/ commercial license then contact support and let them know about your image not being approved though it was a commercial use license. If the image was for public use/ public license then you have to find another image to use or get an artist (free or commissioned) to make you something similar.
This is the reason the episode team gave me for removing the cover and splashes. Also, they literally removed every splash and cover I had uploaded for the story.
Again, thank you for informing me about this whole license thing. This will really help me with other images and backgrounds I might upload to Episode.
Was your image of a real person, some people have covers of real people and they get approved. If so then if you find out it was under a commercial use licence let the team know and tell them that under the commercial use licence anyone in the image does allow for use of their image/ face under possible profitable means.
Also, if your cover may have a gun on it, that will also be rejected. No guns are allowed on story covers. I don’t know about the splashes if they are included on that one.
Thank you so much, and I have filed a ticket. I am hoping to hear from them soon.
(Seriously, thank you for such detailed answer. It was really helpful.)
Ok, now I’m worried. I use pictures from these websites for my stories, I alter the hair color, features, etc (so they don’t look like a real person, and also to fit my story).
Episode approved all these pictures, but I’m afraid that they do the same thing for me. Why did they approve your covers in the first place? that’s what I don’t understand, they should reject the pictures when they first get them (if they really go against the rules)
Okay, so I reuploaded the pictures, and they got approved this time.
One can really never understand how episode’s team works lol.
The reason they gave me was that I cannot upload pictures of real people and places.
And you can clearly see, I used ibis paint and cartoonizer to modify the picture a hell lot.
Plus, the pictures I used were free for editing and public redistribution.
I reuploaded the pictures, and they got approved.
Idk how this even works. I think they just spin a bottle or roll a dice and decide whether they should approve something or not.