Garth Turner pioneered digital democracy, or at least that's what he says.  In any case, you would think someone so into the digital world would be more careful about the use of digital imagery without permissions.

Garth Turner has a new website up at garthturner.com.  It is his official campaign website, authorized by his official agent, and under the rules governing nomination websites as enforced by Elections Canada.

The website was supporting his so-far uncontested run for the nomination as Liberal Party candidate for the riding of Dufferin-Caledon.

Was?  Oh yes, more on that in my next post.  But for now, let's look at how Garth Turner populated his site with pictures.  And the nuisance I have made of myself.

Not that it matters now...but like I said, more on that in my next post.

Let me take you on a tour of two pages of that website.  Here's the donations page:

Garth Turner and Rick Mercer, under the banner "Please donate".

Looks like Rick Mercer is endorsing Garth Turner, eh?

So I got in touch with Rick on September 22.   I asked him about the endorsement.  Endorsement?  What endorsement?

Oh, for shame, Garth Turner.  Making it look like Rick Mercer, a recognizable CBC on-air personality, is endorsing your campaign and urging donations.

On September 23, the page changed:

I guess Rick got in touch with Garth Turner about the unauthorized use of his image on a page of such a sensitive political and financial nature.  And so the photograph was replaced with this one.

Briefly.

Apparently Garth Turner decided his donations page still needed star power.  The very next day, on September 24, the page changed again.

That's Mark Critch, another CBC on-air personality.  Did Mark Critch give his permission to have this picture used?  I'm not certain, but it would frankly surprise me if he did.  Unfortunately, I was unable to get in touch with Mark Critch.  So I guess we won't know for certain.

Here's his volunteers page:

That's a photograph of Barack Obama.  But I happened to know specifically which photograph it is.  It is an AP photograph, taken by Greg Wahl-Stephens.  It appears, with attribution, in this issue of the New York Summer Guide.

How did I figure that out?  Oh, please.  I know what I'm doing here.

Did Garth Turner pay AP a fee for the photograph?  I had my suspicions, given the lack of attribution or credit beneath the photograph.  According to Dawn Cohen, legal counsel at AP, Garth Turner did not get permission, but AP is still checking.  If the checks come up empty, then Garth Turner will likely receive a cease-and-desist letter.  He may already have it.

That was tacky.  Using an image of Barack Obama on a page about political volunteers, like Garth Turner is Barack Obama of the North.  But the ironic part is the message on the page about what these volunteers could do:

Do research for us on the web.

Like I do.

So will this put a crimp in the Garth Turner campaign?

No.

For the simple reason that his campaign has been terminated by the Liberal Party.

More on that next.

Posted by: Steve Janke at 07:42 PM | Comments (11) | Add Comment
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