Charles Hoskinson, the founder of the Cardano (ADA) blockchain and CEO of the London-based blockchain tech firm IOG, has changed his Twitter profile picture to an NFT drawing of his portrait. The change, however, was not to a standard pre-owned NFT avatar but to a right-click saved.jpeg picture of someone else’s NFT.
The founder of Cardano attributed his actions to his liking of the image, and the artist and owner of the real NFT had nothing against it, as the event increased the value of the work and affirmed its association with him.
Cardano’s founder summarised his thoughts by saying he got a cool profile photo and saved money.
However, several members of the NFT community tweeted Hoskinson, requesting clarification on his use of someone else’s NFT. “Charles, if you are reading this, please buy your NFT next time. We appreciate all that you’re doing and please stay focused on changing the world,” JpgStoreNFT CEO Blakelock Brown called out Hoskinson in a tweet.
As a response to Blake’s tweet, Hoskinson wrote:
Buy an NFT? I’m not buying the IP nor am I signing a contract giving me royalty free use to display. I don’t think Blake is getting my broader point about the contractual relationships and rights of the purchaser. An NFT is NOT the image anymore than a lithograph is a painting.
Buy an NFT? I'm not buying the IP nor am I signing a contract giving me royalty free use to display. I don't think Blake is getting my broader point about the contractual relationships and rights of the purchaser. An NFT is NOT the image anymore than a lithograph is a painting https://t.co/VAzyvezCtx
— Charles Hoskinson (@IOHK_Charles) January 4, 2023
In response to Twitter user LaithNFT, Huskinson stated that he liked the image and used it as his profile picture. He went on to say that the artist and NFT owner don’t mind because having a historical association with him increases the value of their work and product.
Huskinson’s old-school method of changing profile pictures is “not the right stance to take at all,” according to graphic designer T-Rex. “Let’s face it, you could probably change the owners’ life by actually buying and owning the NFT?” he added.
The NFT that Hoskinson used was a portrait of himself created by NFT artist JAR Heads NFT, and the NFT that Hoskinson used as his profile photo the day before cost 10,000 ADA, or $2,700.
