I have on website numerous photographs that are not made by me, all them are LINKED to their original source. Some people suggested to stop linking images from other websites and upload them on my own account instead. Is this a copyright issue?
All the images made by me are hosted on my own Photobucket and Imageshack accounts and have my name on them. But I decided to end using third-party image hosting since I am paying this hosting for unlimited bandwidth, I will upload all images on own server… should do this for images not made by me? Is this a copyright issue?

I was contacted for a house plan, even if I told him that I can design a house for you in 30 min for FREE, he said “Thanks anyway, I found a floor plan on your website that match my needs” and after 5 min of more talking, he left. I am afraid that he is going to show my floor plan to a local architect and pay him to design the full project (a job that I could do myself too), but by this way he stole my idea and I earned nothing. Isn’t this a copyright issue?

Meantime I was contacted by some magazines and students from Singapore, asking permission to use images found on my website, although the images are linked from Panoramio so obviously are not made by me. I said “Feel free to use these images… but do not touch my own work“… this is copyright respect! Thank you!

I have noticed some websites collecting images, including from my website and mixing them with a lot of images grabbed from other websites and keywords unrelated each other, I have no idea what is the purpose of such websites, but taking my images without even asking a permission even if they put a link back to me, IS a copyright issue!

Next: a crazy situation…
I gave to a student a drawing MADE BY ME and unexpected happened: he says that is not allowed to use it! Well, we both misunderstood each other!

[15:55] Teoalida: hmm… let’s give you the plan of my own block?
[15:56] Visitor: If possible, yes. I am looking for something that has about 4 to 6 units in an apartment building.
[15:57] Teoalida: www.teoalida.com/Teoalida%20Home%20block.dwg
[15:57] Teoalida: Give me an opinion…
[15:58] Visitor: Thank you. I will open it now and have a look. Please bear with me while it opens.
[16:05] Visitor: Looks fantastic. Can I have your permission to use this material in an assignment? If so, could I have your last name so that I may reference it correctly?
[16:05] Teoalida: Since it is drawing of a real building (and not my own concept, or intended to be built)… hmm what do you think?
[16:07] Visitor: hmm maybe not then. but thank you for sharing it with me. I will delete the file in fairness so that it cannot be abused by others. I will have to look elsewhere to find a 4 or 6 unit apartment complex building for reference. Thank you for your help.
[16:08] Teoalida: Not.. what?
[16:08] Teoalida: Why elsewhere?
[16:08] Teoalida: My one can’t be usable?
[16:08] Teoalida: I will say USE IT as long as remain in university, not using it for making profit
[16:08] Teoalida: I am confused about how the rights of usage should be… please explain
[16:10] Visitor: I am ALLOWED to use it ONLY if referenced to the original owner/producer. Otherwise, it is considered plagarism. Since you do not own it, I cant use the drawing.
[16:10] Teoalida: In my opinion was better to give for FREE the drawing of a real building instead of a drawing of my own concepts that I normally sell for money
[16:10] Teoalida: I do not own? How I can own…
[16:10] Teoalida: I OWN the corner apartment and I drew entire building = I am the author of drawing but not the author of building concept
[16:12] Teoalida: about name, you can simply write Teoalida’s block or Teoalida’s Design – www.teoalida.com
[16:12] Teoalida: no need for full name
[16:13] Visitor: 🙂 i understand what you are trying to say. I misunderstood.
[16:13] Visitor: my apologies
[16:13] Teoalida: I misunderstood too
[16:14] Visitor: I would like to use your drawing, and i will be sure to let you know how my assignment goes! may i email you once complete?
[16:14] Teoalida: btw, showing in my website photographs made by other people, but linked to their original source instead of uploading on my own server, it’s OK ?
[16:14] Teoalida: I would like to hear from you again if things goes well
[16:15] Teoalida: I has been contacted by a lot of students asking such help and so far none came back to tell me results
[16:16] Visitor: yes, external links are fine, I can see where they originate from and can reference there as necessary.
[16:16] Teoalida: Really?
[16:16] Teoalida: my parents said that is OK to use photos but some of website visitors said contrary, now I am confused
[16:18] Teoalida: Many people confuse my website (especially architecture section) where I am the author of all drawings… with a website that just collect random images from google
[16:18] Visitor: Technically, each image should be followed immediately with a reference to the image source. In that way, since you are not using it for profit, it is OK. If you do not reference, it could be bad.
[16:19] Teoalida: I keep getting questions “Do you made this?” “Do you also design houses?” “Are you architect”?
[16:19] Teoalida: isn’t obivious from website content?
[16:20] Visitor: Well, with a website such as this, it is not obvious you are NOT an architect/designer. It appears to me that you are a freelance designer.
[16:20] Visitor: 🙂
[16:21] Teoalida: Try to answer without thinking that you have read About me page, many don’t read