Thank you for the explanation, and the input,
"The main reason was that people with business intentions started to overwhelm the more friendly panel-sharing discussions"
I’ve noticed the same issue on the CFX forums, where stolen assets and copyright infringements are common. Due to the influx of posts and the grown popularity of FiveM scripts and assets, moderation often seems limited due to much needed help, whether the content is paid, stolen, or shared. and adhering to the rules at the same time.
The issue is when I see moderators exhibiting the very same behaviors as what they tell others, that becomes a problem.
"but we’re not a detective agency"
We're going to tackle this one real quick as this stood out the most.
This issue stands out as particularly important and deserves to be addressed directly.
Moderation remains a consistent challenge within open forums, as the ability to respond effectively in real time will naturally vary among individuals. It is not difficult to recognize that elements such as names, branding, logos, or even user interface design may raise concerns regarding potential intellectual property infringement. While such matters are often not problematic in casual or non commercial contexts, they take on a far greater significance when the work is being sold.
Years ago when I first went down the rabbit hole of creating boilerplates, scripts and artworks for servers and different frameworks Licensed under Rockstar which included plugins Lua ,css, and others, It was a lengthy process of knowledge from giving away free scripts on Github to selling them on CFX legally.
I leave this little bit of wisdom for newcomers, but it is not limited to this scenario.
1. What “cloned from the IP” means
If someone takes an existing skin (or another creator’s design) and copies it either exactly or with slight modifications that’s essentially making a derivative work without permission.
Even small changes (colors, minor layout tweaks) usually don’t remove copyright protection, because copyright protects the overall expression, not just exact replication.
If the original skin includes third-party content (logos, icons, game characters), that adds another layer of potential infringement.
2. Legal implications
The original creator still holds copyright, so the cloned work is likely infringing, even if it’s “not identical.”
The person cloning it cannot claim copyright over the derivative work if it’s substantially based on the original without authorization.
Potential defenses of the cloner:
Claiming it’s “inspired by” rather than copied, but courts usually look at substantial similarity, not intent.
Arguing functional elements aren’t protected. True, but the unique artistic design is protected.
3. Other considerations
If the original skin was licensed under a specific license (e.g., Creative Commons “non-commercial”), cloning it and selling it violates both copyright and the license.
Cloning from commercial software or well-known IP can lead to cease-and-desist letters or lawsuits, including claims of copyright and potentially trademark infringement.
As for the original artwork and content I did find on this forum, great job to all and don't be afraid to learn and express your art directions.
