Flags, Statistics and AI Theft!

 Is Artificial Intelligence (AI) development by big corporations the death-knell for copyright law and intellectual rights? If international legislators do not grasp this nettle soon, I fear we may have already lost the battle to keep ownership of anything we create.

On our website we have a useful and interesting application called ‘Flagcounter’ that shows the location of our visitors from the top twenty countries, by displaying their national flags in the right lower margin of our home page. But over the last few years, a worrying trend has developed.

The UK and USA have naturally been the top nations from which our visitors originated, with around 6% of our total visitors coming from these two English-speaking countries. In contrast, in less than two years, Singapore has sped up the visitor list and now accounts for 90% of our visitors! I doubt Singapore has that many cinderella local post devotees.

 After a little delving it appears the Singapore statistics represent internet robots, spiders, or crawlers, designed to “borrow” images for AI resources. In other words, stealing without credit to the image owner or creator.

Image Source: Pixabay

It seems Google Analytics (GA) filters out these visitors from Singapore, as they do not appear in website GA results. Of course, AI crawlers are not only restricted to Singapore, they are being used by all the major (and minor) AI developers targeting the world wide web.

The worst thing is they cannot be stopped from visiting my website even when they are specifically blocked in the site .htaccess file. Other website owners have reported similar futile attempts to protect their sites from these AI thieves. If I had not been using the application ‘Flagcounter’ I would not have noticed this digital burglary at all!

In order to counter this free unattributed use of CILP stamp images by AI bots, CILP is proposing to deface future stamp images with diagonal red lines, as is the custom of stamp issuing authorities worldwide. 

Am I bolting the door after the horse has bolted? Maybe, but a little victory makes me feel better!

 

Postmaster

New Issue: UK Flags Stamp

The Forward United! stamp has been issued today, 25 January, on the occasion of Robert Burns birthday, the famous Scottish poet. 

The stamp, which shows the flags of all the UK nations alongside the Union flag, is intended to promote the continuation of the United Kingdom. It also in response to  collector's requests for a flag stamp.

CLP250122S (CP055)

A small number of our Heritage Series postcards bearing this stamp with FDI cancellations have also been issued.

Missed an Issue?

Forward United! will be made available to collectors from 1 February. We also have good stocks of previous stamp issues available for purchase from our agent Alpha Thematics on Ebid UK. 

Postmaster

CILP 

Flags Stamp Rescheduled for 2022

 Forward United! 

The Forward Together! stamp (originally scheduled for release 11 October, 2021) has been renamed and issue rescheduled. The stamp, which shows the flags of all the UK home nations alongside the Union flag, will be re-scheduled for issue on 25th January, 2022. It is now entitled, Forward United!

Pre-release illustration - stamp may differ

Missed an Issue?

We still have good stocks of all 2021 and most older stamp issues available for purchase from our agent Alpha Thematics on Ebid UK. 

Postmaster

CILP 

UPDATE: Forward Together!

 Forward Together! 

The release of the Forward Together! stamp (scheduled 11 October, 2021) has been postponed. The stamp, which shows the flags of all the UK home nations alongside the Union flag, will be re-scheduled for issue at a later date in 2021. 

Missed an Issue?

We still have good stocks of all 2021 and most older stamp issues available for purchase from our agent Alpha Thematics on Ebid UK. 

Postmaster

CILP 

Coming Soon: Forward Together stamp!

 Forward Together! 

Following Brexit, the battle is now on to Save the Union. The Forward Together! stamp is due for release on 11 October, 2021. It shows the flags of all the UK home nations alongside the Union flag with the legend "Forward Together!" (Image will be published on stamp release).

Missed an Issue?

We still have good stocks of all 2021 and most older stamp issues available for purchase from our agent Alpha Thematics on Ebid UK. 

Postmaster

CILP 

Stamp Release Schedule 2021

Despite production delays and pandemic restrictions, Canvey Island Local Post (CILP) are pleased to announce our stamp schedule for 2021. 

Technical and production details will be published in our online catalogue as soon as possible, as well as an updated online Collector's Checklist.

CILP 10th Anniversary: 15 April 2021

This is our first triangular stamp, and it celebrates ten years in operation as a local post as of November 2020. We have produced 700 of the little beauties as we are  proud of hitting our 10th year! It was planned to release this in November last year, but better late than never!

CLP150421S

 

Fight Covid-19: 19 April 2021 

This issue was also delayed from March 2021 due to unforeseen pandemic issues. It is intended as more of a public information poster stamp rather than a fixed postal rate for local mail. It will be used alongside other CILP stamps until exhausted.

                                                                        CLP190421S

Earth Day - 'Restore Our Earth': 22 April 2021

Slowing climate change and reversing environmental degradation is the theme for this year's Earth Day. Our stylised stamp is optimistic in the outcome but calls on everyone to 'do their bit'. 

CLP220421S

A variant has also been released that was a result of a simple commercial printer's error, but were too good to scrap. The information line at the bottom of the stamp has been omitted on 10 sheets. These will be used as normal alongside the 'correct' design, so keep an eye on your mail!

Endangered Fauna & Flora - Orchids: 03 May 2021 

The second series in our Endangered Fauna and Flora theme is a set of four rare orchids found in a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) on Canvey Island. Our first series released on 21 August 2017 illustrated endangered insects also found at our local SSSI. (Images to follow on release).

International Nurses Day: 12 May 2021

Celebrating nurses worldwide on their annual international day. Features Florence Nightingale and Mary Seacole, a black contemporary of Florence and of equal or greater influence on nursing who has gone unsung for too many years. (Image to follow on release).

Salute Frontline Workers: 31 May 2021

Honouring all frontline workers wherever or whatever they do to keep society, communities, and families, warm, fed, connected, clean, safe, and healthy. They know who they are - thank you! (Image to follow on release). 

Empire Windrush: 22 June 2021

Commemorating the arrival of the Empire Windrush at Tilbury Docks, Essex, UK in 1948. It marked the start of the post-war immigration boom which was to change British society. Windrush carried 492 black migrants who were coming to a country promising prosperity and employment. 

Their influence and contribution have been overlooked far too long and this is an effort to redress the historical balance. This design is a period photo of the stern of the ship docked at Tilbury with passengers crowding the rails waving at the camera. (Image to follow on release).

A variant will also be released that was a result of a simple commercial printer's error (same contract as Earth Day stamp above), but were too good to scrap. The information line at the bottom of the stamp has been omitted on 11 sheets. These will be used as normal alongside the 'correct' design.

Forward Together! : 11 October 2021

Following Brexit the battle is now on to Save the Union, even if most people in the UK have not yet realised it or do not care. This stamp shows the flags of all the home nations alongside the Union flag with the legend "Forward Together!" (Image to follow on stamp release).

Postmaster

CILP