Hello Troutgeek,
This matter has already been discussed with you via email. For clarity, we are outlining the relevant details below.
1. Source of the Model
This model, which is your original design, was obtained and downloaded from cults3d.com, not from Thingiverse. Please refer to the designer attribution provided in the product description.
2. Original Publication and License
The model was first published on cults3d.com on July 9, 2023, under an account with the username “TROUTGEEK.” At the time it was uploaded, the model was released under a Creative Commons CC-BY 4.0 License, which allows the following for end users:
CC BY – Attribution
You are authorized to:
Share — copy, distribute, and communicate the material by any means and in any format
Adapt — remix, transform, and create from the material for any use, including commercial purposes
What is not allowed:
Sharing or adaptation without attribution
The terms of this license are defined under Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).
3. License Status at Time of Download
This model was obtained and downloaded while the active and persisting license was still CC BY 4.0.
4. Modification of the Model
The addition of RCCS to the model is permitted under the CC BY 4.0 license, which explicitly authorizes adaptations and remixes of the original material.
5. Subsequent License Changes
We are aware that the license on Cults3D has since been updated. This change occurred after you initially stated that you did not possess a Cults3D account and had never uploaded to Cults3D.
6. Irrevocability of Creative Commons Licenses
Under the rules established by Creative Commons, these licenses are irrevocable once applied. This is explained directly in the Creative Commons FAQ:
> “What happens if the author decides to revoke the CC license to material I am using?
The CC licenses are irrevocable. This means that once you receive material under a CC license, you will always have the right to use it under those license terms, even if the licensor changes his or her mind and stops distributing under the CC license terms. Of course, you may choose to respect the licensor’s wishes and stop using the work.”
— https://creativecommons.org/faq/
This means that any model distributed under a Creative Commons license remains governed by the license that was active at the time the material was received, downloaded, or obtained. If the author later updates or changes the license terms, that change does not retroactively alter the rights granted under the original license.
7. Communication Regarding This Matter
If we had received a polite message or email from you at the beginning of this situation, we would have reciprocated that courtesy and taken down the model no questions asked.
Instead, the first communication we received from you was a 1-star review on the product page, claiming that the model had been “stolen.”
Following that review, we reached out via email to hear your side of the situation and attempt to resolve any concerns.
As such, we are under no legal obligation to remove the product. In accordance with the original CC-BY 4.0 license terms, proper attribution has been provided in both the product description and the product title.
If you would like to discuss this matter further in a constructive manner, we remain open to reasonable communication.
Regards,
RC Capra Solutions
