Just a quick thought on this deal with images being owned by Toyota (not arguing that point, some definitely are, and rights owners should have the ability to protect their rights if they feel it necessary - I've done it for my own intellectual property for over 30 years).

There are specific accepted legal ways for rights holders to protect their rights, and in this case the Toyota lawyers seem to have stepped out of the fairly clearly defined lines.

The reason I'm dropping THIS note to you, however, is that I'm considering you a "Scion Person" representing the corporation to a large independent Scion site. :o)

In the past, Scion has not only offered up wallpapers for anyone to use, apparently without restriction, on their site, but has even, on occasion, offered up images of various existing or proposed models for fans of the brand to use as a basis for ideas. Actually asking, at times, for folks to modify, change, and generally use those images.

At the various "BackStage" presentations, there have been Scion images offered up for folks to modify, change, and print up for personal use and sharing with others.

A huge portion of Scion's advertising is the less formal "viral" advertising where it depends on a the owner community to advertise the brand and it's cars in a seemingly "underground" manner not obviously supported or directed by the company. (That works quite well - 95% of the Scion owners I know are better at selling Scions than the actual salesmen, and happy to do it. :oD )

Anyway, considering that Scion DEPENDS on fans propagating the marque to potential new customers, and that Scion in the past has actually asked us to modify and share images of various Scion concept and existing cars, how does the Scion corporate philosophy of Scion image use fit with the TMS lawyers asking an independent site to remove ALL images of ALL Scions?

It doesn't seem to gel in my mind for some reason. While legally acceptable, is it really the route Scion wants to take? (Or an even more direct question: Since our members quite freely play with modify, share, and otherwise publish vast amounts of images that TMS/Scion has the rights to, are we next?)

Thanks for being willing to step into the middle of this firestorm created by the lawyers, and thanks even more for some very fine vehicles. :o)