Hole lotta crud: Chinese stock photo pusher tries to claim copyright on Event Horizon pic

China's largest stock photo flinger has been forced to backtrack after it tried to put its own price tags on images of the first black hole and the Chinese flag. Visual China Group reportedly tried to hawk out the first-ever image of a supermassive black hole and its shadow, which was the painstaking work of boffins running …

[Mark 85]

Color me surprised.

Given the blatancy of Chinese intellectual theft by claiming only Chinese citizens can copyright or patent, this is an unreal admission.

[Nick Ryan]

Re: Color me surprised.

This is little different to the US's "prior art" patent ruling that only "prior art" in the US counts as "prior art".

[John Brown (no body)]

Re: Color me surprised.

This is little different to the US's "prior art" patent ruling that only "prior art" in the US counts as "prior art".

It's not that long ago the US had a slightly different view on copyrights and patents. Charles Dickens had an especially poor opinion of the US.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Color me surprised.

Also Kipling, who was especially contemptuous of British authors who caved to American blackmail.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Color me surprised.

Did you miss the "Distribution deals with Getty Images"?

Pretty sure they got the IP for the Getty business model as part of the deal.

[Paul Herber]

Is this the flag they want to claim copyright on?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_the_Republic_of_China

[Doctor Syntax]

What a pity the CC licences don't include a clause forbidding any use of material by anyone who has made a false claim on it.

[Menasco]

"China apologised and said that it would "learn from these lessons" and "seriously rectify" the problem"

How does one "seriously" rectify something , crivens tojo , prepare for a reverse bias situation , in china NO-ONE is allowed to post as "AC" . Welsh semiconducter giant Lord Dai Ode is currently considering sending his two daughters Cath and Ann to help smooth things out IN 4001 easy moves ( a tiny ripple of applause will do nicely thanks ) , ahem.

[Francis Boyle]

Cath and Ann

I had a threesome with those two. It went off with a bang.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: Cath and Ann

Would that be a tri-ode then?

ECC83? That's a double threesome, which could be really interesting....

[Anonymous Coward]

I'll volt for you in the electron.

[Aristotles slow and dimwitted horse]

If Lord Dai Ode is getting involved I can only see this ending one way...

[JJKing]

They are the icon.

Is there anything those commie bastards won't steal? IP, black hole image, South China Sea.........

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: They are the icon.

Is there anything those commie bastards won't steal?

A US presidency? As far as I can tell, they've kept well away from those sorts of politics, they leave that to the Russians.

Also, re. IP theft it is worth remembering that the US industry started with the exact same ignoring of IP rights. This is why, IMHO, IP spats between the two countries are pretty much pot/kettle affairs.

[Anonymous Coward]

Re: They are the icon.

'..As far as I can tell, they've kept well away from those sorts of politics, they leave that to the Russians.'

Search on the origins of the phrase 'divine manipulation of the threads.'

The Chinese have been playing these games for thousands of years, and can be a very subtle and patient people when they need to be.