They're changing my personal photos from my long-distance hike

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   Ramkitten2000posted 7 years ago

   I'm very disappointed in HubPages. Yes, I know ... I know ... we cannot opt out of their HubPro Basic program. And it's their site. Yadda, yadda, yadda--I get it. But that doesn't mean I'm not very upset. Make that pissed.
   
   I received one of those heads up emails, warning me that an unnamed hub of mine was scheduled to be edited under the HubPro Basic program. I responded, asking which hub that was and stated that if it was any one of my Search & Rescue or outdoor-related hubs, I would prefer they let me know what it is they don't like or think needs fixing, and I would do the editing myself or decide to remove the content. Those are areas of expertise for me, and I have a lot of firsthand experience. So other than correcting a typo, I won't tolerate my content being changed by anyone who hasn't been there, done that.
   
   So, then I received a reply from Robin, saying the hub (about the Appalachian Trail) was sent to "them" because of pixelated images. Well, yes, some of the images, IF viewed in the larger format, are not great quality, because those were slides that were unfortunately scanned years ago at too small of a resolution. But I no longer have a scanner and, more than that, many of my slides were later damaged by a flash flood and the originals are no longer of good quality, either.
   
   But those are MY photos from MY 2.169-mile Appalachian Trail hike. Never in all the years that lens-turned-hub has existed have I had an issue with the photos. Google has sent plenty of traffic its way. And I've viewed those scanned images (in the hub) on multiple devices and, while not perfect, are "good enough" ... not to mention taken from and during my personal experience, which is something I'm proud of. So I asked Robin to please leave them alone.
   
   Well, she ignored that request, and now that hub is locked up while they edit. Thanks a lot, HP, for having no respect for me or for my personal experience. If whatever photos you stick in there are NOT specifically of the Appalachian Trail and/or not directly related to what I'm talking about, I'll not only put my photos back, but take my content elsewhere (once I make sure it's not been plagiarized). I don't give a you-know-what if you don't like grainy aka pixelated photos. To change out images from someone's personal experience for some generic crap is just not acceptable and really feels like a slap in the face.
   
   Oh, and those elipses were SUPPOSED to be elipses, not bullet points. That's another thing Robin said they'd be changing. I'm not an idiot. I know when I want to use bullet points versus elipses.

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      Titiaposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      If you still had the illusian that they cared, forget it, they don't. All they want is a flock of sheep with no mind of their own. I had the same issue with a hub about my mom's 1930 fashion. I solved the problem by putting a few low resolution photo's into one in stead of each one apart, but that isn't always possible of course.
      
      

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      Jean Bakulaposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Maybe you should write to another member of the administration. I write about topics in a series. Recently they moved 6 hubs out of a series of 12 to Exemplore, and people were writing and asking where the other 6 hubs were. Robin did move the rest of them. So each person has different things they change, you may get different results with someone else.
      
      They did use bullet points in another of my hubs, and I didn't like the drab, gray color they used, as they also added an ugly, gray picture. I changed the picture, and so far they didn't remove it from the niche site. But I decided to leave the bullet points. I was on the hub hopper, and they seem to be adding the grey bullets to a lot of hubs.
      
      I'm from NJ and have hiked a lot of the Appalachian Trail, here and in NY, and ME. It is a hard trail, I swear, it's always uphill. I hope they restore your pictures, since they always make such a big deal about using your own. Perhaps someone could suggest a program you could put them through so they would not be as pixelated? Good luck.

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      makingamarkposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Applause!
      
      You cannot ask people to write about their own experiences and then edit out their own photos!
      
      I suggest you just write and tell them to stop editing as you will now be moving the content. 
      
      Why on earth would Hubpages spend effort on annoying people and stimulating a move of content?

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         Ramkitten2000posted 7 years agoin reply to this

         I keep checking to see if the hub has been released from the claws of whomever is editing. I thought HubPro Basic was supposed to be BASIC, so I don't know what's taking them so long. Perhaps they're scrounging for generic photos of trees and mountains and hiking trail. Anyone who knows or is really interested in the trail I wrote about will know right away if what they're looking at is not the A.T. Lots of people spotted that kind of B.S. in the movie, "A Walk in the Woods."
         
         I heard from someone else who had personal family photos replaced with ... well, just some people in stock photos. That's like buying picture frames, leaving the printed photos of strangers that come with the frames and displaying them in your home. Makes no sense.
         
         As a reader, I'd MUCH rather see a grainy or pixelated REAL photo from the writer's REAL experience than some perfectly pixelated stock photo, which would convey to me that the writer may be full of ... uh ... hot air. As a reader, I want legit.
         
         So, yeah, I'm waiting while HP wastes their time (and time = money) on my hub, so I can put back MY photos (and my dang elipses!), make sure it's not been plagiarized (and then deal with DMCA's if it has) and then take it elsewhere.
         
         I'm usually pretty patient and NICE, but this has really ticked me off.

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   Ramkitten2000posted 7 years ago

   While I cannot access my hub to edit (still), I was able to click on the link and SEE some of what they've changed so far, and I really am livid. (Might seem like an over-reaction to some, but ... oh well.)
   
   My words refer to my photos, so now some of what I've written makes no sense where they've removed my photos. But with HubPro BASIC, they'd better not touch my words if it isn't a simple typo. And, while it's always possible there's a typo, I've been over that lens-turned-hub so many times, I'm pretty confident there aren't any.
   
   There's also trail lingo in there that isn't necessarily spelled in a traditional way. I haven't looked carefully yet, but I can just imagine some editor, who has no experience with the Appalachian Trail, changing those spellings.
   
   Now to go find my images that I'd used, so I can be ready to put them back.
   
   Man, now I really understand why some people who've been through this have been so upset. It feels like a violation.

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      makingamarkposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      IF YOU ARE SO MINDED - I'd just send an INSTRUCTION to stop editing as you are so upset you will now be moving content.
      
      Don't be passive - it's your content and your copyright that is being messed about. The content only exists here with your permission. If you withdraw the permission then they cannot edit.
      
      PS I remember your "hub". Wasn't it one of the most popular lenses Squidoo ever had?

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         Ramkitten2000posted 7 years agoin reply to this

         I've now sent two emails (and posted and tagged HP on Facebook), telling them to stop and release my content, but I've not received a reply, and the hub is still locked up.
         
         And, yeah ... thanks for remembering that former lens-now-hub. It's always been one of my most popular. I don't really keep track of stats these days, but I know it was still doing well enough at least. And I guess it was still doing well enough to get HP's attention (unfortunately).
         
         I can see they've also removed the guide books that I recommend, which I've used a LOT, and which have sold quite a lot over the years. And there was a LOT of content to back up those book recommendations.

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            makingamarkposted 7 years agoin reply to this

            There's a way to see what they've done to your previous content but I forget how. Basically you need to know how to see the pink bits (ie what has been removed or changed)

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   Robinposted 7 years ago

   I'm in contact with the editor that is working on your hub. I think the best thing to do is for us to return the hub to its original format. We will leave it on HubPages rather than move it to our outdoors site, or if you want, you can move the article. I'm sorry that you are upset with our process. We are striving toward an editorial style on our niche domains and understand this may not be for everyone.  It is a holiday weekend, but I hope to get it resolved quickly.

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      Ramkitten2000posted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you. I would MUCH rather have it left right where it is, the way it was, than be changed by someone other than me and moved. I'm more than happy to "take my chances" with it right here.
      
      If I can find my original slides and those I want are not too badly water damaged, and if I can re-scan them somehow, I'll do that.
      
      I do appreciate you returning the content back to the way it was. I feel like I was heard, and that's what matters.

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         Robinposted 7 years agoin reply to this

         As I was writing the post, the Hub was moved to WanderWisdom.  There is an automated process that went through before we had a chance to prevent it.  It probably won't be until next week before we have it moved back to HubPages because many of our staff is off today until Tuesday, but I'll email you personally.  Have a good weekend. 

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            Ramkitten2000posted 7 years agoin reply to this

            If you want to move it back, that's fine. I don't care where it lives as long as it's in its present state ... unless or until I make edits. By clicking on the link in the email I received, I can see the edits that were intended, and I sure don't see how that would have been "basic." So, if you all don't want it on your niche site with my photos and my words, that's okay.

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               Robinposted 7 years agoin reply to this

               I think the issue is the formatting, but I understand the heart you put into this Hub and not wanting it to be changed.  Let me know if you would like to work closely with an editor to make some changes to keep it on WanderWisdom.  I think you'll see that the readership will increase and it might be worth it.  Hubbers that want more Editor interaction should opt-in to HubPro Premium.  Again, sorry for the confusion; it is my fault.  We are all working different hours today.

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                  Kylyssaposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                  I think the team doesn't understand that changing photos to generic photos can make a hub into a big bunch of nonsense if the original photos were being used to accurately illustrate the content or if the content was written about the photos.

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                  makingamarkposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                  I think the issue is actually about copyright and the inability of an author to say they don't want any changes - except by unpublishing and removing the content from HubPages.
                  
                  How much content has HubPages lost because it's not respecting
                  1) its authors - and the 'heart' that other authors put into their hubs - and
                  2) the legal status of the content i.e. editing without permission infringes copyright.
                  
                  It's one thing to correct spellings (except when you Americanise my English) but it's quite another to change content and photos - without the prior agreement of the author.

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                     Kylyssaposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                     They have no information in the FAQ as to what happens to the copyright after they've made changes. They should at least let users know who owns what rights to the finished product and each of its elements after a hub has been edited like a normal business would. I was put off by the editing process both because of my editor's poor grammar skills in the emails and because there was no contract explaining who owned what after the editing process like magazines, books, ezines, professional editors, and other writing-related businesses all routinely provide.

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                        UnnamedHaraldposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                        I'm pretty sure HP said the copyright of the edited hub remains the same as it was originally.

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                           Kylyssaposted 7 years agoin reply to this

                           It doesn't address the added photos or the changed or added words.

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      justholidaysposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Frankly Robin this craze about pixelated photos and Amazon modules (useful and related) makes no sense and turns out to look ridiculous.
      
      It's not like if HP's design was outstanding and the pixelated pics and Amazon capsules would ruin your wonderful white sheet spammed with thousands of unrelated Adsense ads.

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   LuisEGonzalezposted 7 years ago

   

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