Public discussions

ENGLISH

My name is Uwe Acktmann. I live in Munich and own a pharmacy.

I received a formal notice from Atlantic concerning an image that I had forgotten to remove from my pharmacy’s website. The image had remained online for nearly ten years, and I was asked to pay €12,000 in compensation.

After acknowledging my mistake, I attempted to reach an amicable settlement by offering €2,000, but my proposal was rejected. My website was subsequently suspended. I changed hosting providers so that I could continue operating my business, but approximately one month later, the new site was also taken offline. After moving to another provider, the matter continued, and I have now been summoned to appear before a German court.

I am still seeking an amicable settlement and have written several times without receiving a substantive response. The last information I received from Atlantic was that, at this stage, the company could no longer communicate with me directly and that I should contact its lawyer. However, when I wrote to the lawyer, I was told that they could only communicate with my own legal representative. I explained that I did not have a lawyer, but the only subsequent communication I received was a court summons for what appears to be a hearing.

A friend told me that the hearing might be intended to explore an amicable settlement, but I do not fully understand the procedure and feel overwhelmed by the situation. I would therefore be grateful for any reliable guidance on the steps I should now take.

I understand that a protected image cannot be used without authorization and that leaving it online for such a long period may have consequences. Nevertheless, considering the circumstances and my repeated attempts to resolve the matter amicably, I believe that the amount being claimed and the consequences I have faced are disproportionate.

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DEUTSCH

Mein Name ist Uwe Acktmann. Ich lebe in München und bin Inhaber einer Apotheke.

Ich erhielt von Atlantic ein Aufforderungsschreiben wegen eines Bildes, das ich versehentlich nicht von der Website meiner Apotheke entfernt hatte. Das Bild war fast zehn Jahre lang online geblieben, und von mir wurde eine Entschädigung in Höhe von 12.000 € verlangt.

Nachdem ich meinen Fehler eingeräumt hatte, versuchte ich, eine außergerichtliche Einigung zu erzielen, und bot eine Zahlung von 2.000 € an. Dieses Angebot wurde jedoch abgelehnt. Daraufhin wurde meine Website gesperrt. Um den Betrieb meines Unternehmens fortsetzen zu können, wechselte ich den Hosting-Anbieter. Etwa einen Monat später wurde jedoch auch die neue Website abgeschaltet. Nach einem weiteren Anbieterwechsel wurde die Angelegenheit fortgeführt, und inzwischen wurde ich vor ein deutsches Gericht geladen.

Ich bin weiterhin an einer gütlichen Einigung interessiert und habe mich bereits mehrfach schriftlich gemeldet, ohne eine inhaltliche Antwort zu erhalten. Zuletzt wurde mir von Atlantic mitgeteilt, dass das Unternehmen in diesem Verfahrensstadium nicht mehr direkt mit mir kommunizieren könne und ich mich an dessen Rechtsanwalt wenden müsse. Als ich den Rechtsanwalt kontaktierte, wurde mir jedoch erklärt, dass eine Kommunikation nur mit meinem eigenen rechtlichen Vertreter möglich sei. Ich teilte daraufhin mit, dass ich keinen Rechtsanwalt habe. Die einzige weitere Mitteilung, die ich anschließend erhielt, war eine gerichtliche Ladung zu einem offenbar bevorstehenden Termin.

Ein Freund sagte mir, dass dieser Termin möglicherweise dazu dienen könnte, eine gütliche Einigung zu finden. Da ich das Verfahren jedoch nicht vollständig verstehe, fühle ich mich mit der Situation überfordert. Für verlässliche Hinweise dazu, welche Schritte ich nun unternehmen sollte, wäre ich daher sehr dankbar.

Ich verstehe, dass ein geschütztes Bild nicht ohne Genehmigung verwendet werden darf und dass seine langjährige Veröffentlichung Konsequenzen haben kann. Angesichts der Umstände und meiner wiederholten Bemühungen um eine gütliche Einigung halte ich die geforderte Summe und die daraus entstandenen Folgen dennoch für unverhältnismäßig.

I hope this testimony will be published. I am not sure it will be, because it is critical of how my case has been handled, but I believe my experience deserves to be heard.

My name is Marco Bianchi. I live in Italy and I run a small restaurant and an online food service. My website is an important part of my business because customers use it to discover our services, contact us and place orders.

I would like to share what has happened to me following a copyright claim from Atlantic Image Defense LLC concerning an image that appeared on my website.

When I returned from vacation, I discovered that my website was no longer accessible because my hosting service had been suspended. I was honestly shocked. While I was away, I had received several emails and letters from Atlantic, but I had not been able to deal with them properly because I was travelling in an area where I had very limited access to the Internet.

I want to be completely transparent. I did use the image. I had found it through Google and downloaded it without properly checking whether I had the right licence or authorization. At the time, I did not fully understand that finding an image through Google did not mean that it was free to use. I understand that now.

As soon as I became aware of the seriousness of the situation, I removed the image and started contacting Atlantic to try to resolve the matter. I have sent several emails explaining my situation and asking for an amicable solution. Unfortunately, I keep receiving essentially the same response: that I still have to pay for the previous use of the image.

I understand that removing the image does not erase the fact that it was previously used. I am not trying to deny that or avoid my responsibility. What I am trying to do is find a reasonable way to resolve the matter without allowing the situation to become even more serious.

The suspension of my website has already had a real impact on my business. I rely on my website to attract customers and generate income. When the website is offline, I lose business, and that also makes it harder for me to find the money needed to resolve this dispute.

The situation has now become even more worrying. I recently received a registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt concerning legal proceedings and a summons to appear before the court.

Because of this, I consulted a lawyer. The first appointment alone cost me €300. The lawyer explained to me that defending myself in court could cost considerably more and advised me that the most sensible option would be to try to reach an amicable settlement before the costs increase further.

That is exactly what I have been trying to do.

I am not refusing to discuss payment. I am not denying that the image was used. I am simply asking for the opportunity to find a realistic and reasonable agreement that I can actually afford.

I run a small business. I have bills, employees and everyday expenses, and I depend on my restaurant and online activity to earn my living. Between the suspension of my website, the lawyer’s fees and the possibility of court proceedings, I am now extremely worried about how far this situation could go.

I genuinely want to resolve this matter peacefully and put it behind me. I have tried several times to find an amicable solution, but I feel that I am running out of options.

I do not want this to go any further.

I just need help finding a reasonable solution before the situation becomes something I can no longer financially handle.