Yes, I have discussed this with Postcrossing before entering, because my work is a pastel and not digital or graphic at all, but if a work is transferrable to digital format it is allowed. (I did a bad job, but that is not the issue) Collages same story I think.
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I disagree with you on both points.
In my opinion the contest winner used plagiarism, because the source of the original was not disclosed. The definition of Plagiarism on Wikipedia is:
Plagiarism is the fraudulent representation of another person’s language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions as one’s own original work.
So by not disclosing the source, it’s not a derivate work but plagiarism.
Also, even if the contest winner would have given credit to the source artwork, the design is a derivate work, while the rules require original work.
While derivate works can be works in their own right copyright-wise if they differ sufficiently (not sure if that would apply to the contest winning art or ot, I’m not an expert), derivate work is derivate work, not original work, at least in my opinion. 
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When correctly using stock art for commercial purposes, you do not have to credit the original work/artist (At least in the US). It is not plagiarism.
We don’t know the intent of the postcard designer – she may have felt that her changes were enough to qualify as original. You see it as not enough to pass the threshold for derivative. My point stands that the contest rules are not precise enough in defining “original.”
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Sorry, you misunderstood me. My opinion (and that’s just my opinion, I respect if your opinion is different ) is that a derivate work cannot be original, because an original cannot be derivated. That (again, in my opinion) is totally separate from the copyright question if the derivate work is different enough to qualify as a work in its own right. I agree with you that for future contests the rules need to be made more clear on what is permitted and what not. For this case, luckily, we don’t need to decide, this difficult task is with the contest jury. I will accept their decision regardless of the outcome. 
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The winning disign was recalled and a new one will be chosen! The blog post states “We aim to ensure that every aspect of [the new winner] aligns with the contest’s rules”, which makes me wonder whether that disqualifies the designs in this thread - after all, they were made public before the true end of the contest 
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It looks like the design that garnered the second highest number of votes will be declared the contest winner.
The new design will be released in the next few days.
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Actually I don’t really understand why all the entries are not published or shown by organisers throughout the years.
Maybe there are some hidden gems, just like the artworks in this thread.
Every year the participants have to share it by their own. It would be a lot easier and user-friendly if all the entries are shown on the website.
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I think partly because there are most likely also entries that are not so fitting.
For example they understood the theme wrong, don’t follow the rules etc. Like there were comments that the winner didn’t represent the Postcrossing community. Well, because that was not the theme
So why would they publish cards that are not what is asked. (If there were such entries that tried to show Postcrossing rather than Postal Hugs).
Also I think many part takers like to keep the copyrights to themselves, if they didn’t win.
But, now the ones who published and/or printed their own design already, if one of these were to be the second, and hence now the winner, can they be the winner then at all? Because the published the design elsewhere?
They of course have the chance to not announce a winner at all.
I would disqualify each entry, whose designer talked badly about other entries because it definitely doesn’t show good spirit. But I know it’s not possible 
This is why I was surprised when the winning design came out in the blog yesterday. Questions are definitely raised and a handful of comments spoke the truth.
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Of course they didn’t know the “winner” used a stock image. They would not have announced it if they did.
I hope the new winner is willing to take all the bad mannered messages that people think is ok to write as long as they personally don’t like the card. (In reality I of course hope people would be more polite even when they don’t like it.)
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@gibbigabs Hi Gabby, I LOVE your work! 
Your giving a whole new vibe and meaning to “postal hugs”. Makes me want* to hug my mailbox as well! 
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I’d say WINNER for this year’s Members’ Choice goes to Gabby @gibbigabs ! You definitely have my vote.
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Wow, this year sure gave us things to think about this contest!
About the stock image postcard: I don’t think it was a bad one, the person depicted was neutral enough to be who we want to see and given the digital graphic possibility to change colours I’d have made the possibility to users to download the person in many different races so even if you received doubles you could have many different ones.
Looking forward to see the new winner design! 
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I agree to the unfitting entries.
However, the organizers can put a disclaimer, or filter those which are really inappropriate to the spirit of Postcrossing.
The copyright part is the tricky part.
Last year, my partner won the third place in 2022 WPD.
It’s sounds proud but we are in an awkward position, because the copyright was transferred to the organiser. So, neither the cards can be downloaded or used by anyone, nor promoted by the organiser to use it (only the first place winner for the theme).
Maybe it’s one of the reasons there are no second and third place this year.
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The WPD site says that:
Edit: Though I don’t know if it was the same text in 2022 and if then referred exclusively to the first winner or also to the 2nd and 3rd.
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I know that it was different in previous years (without return), but I don’t know in which year it was changed.
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But I suppose this didn’t come as a surprise? I believe this type of thing is mentioned in the rules.
This year at least the copyright is back to the designer if they didn’t win, that’s good.
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I thought this said “World St Hug Day” (and was thinking already that’s a trigger to some religion (and saint) haters 
)
Here is the design I created for the WPD postcard contest.
“The postcard gives us friendships around the world, and each postcard received is like receiving a hug from our friends from places we never thought it would be possible to visit through the postcard, the place comes to us.
Each postcard gives us a hug from our friends from places we never thought it would be possible to visit and through the postcard the place comes to us.”
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Maybe don’t publish the cards now, if one is the possible winner?
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