Getting sued for photos on blog?

50 replies
Hey wwf, I just had a quick question. After writing all my articles for my website I was reading online about people getting in trouble for using pictures on their blog that other people took and wanted compensation for them.

I was already aware of this but didn't put TOO much energy into worrying about it. Obviously I didnt just copy and paste from google but I use freeimages.com where people upload and some say we are free to use them others ask permission usually i check.

In your website experience, Is it likely that people will want compensation for the images i use?
#blog #photos #sued
  • Profile picture of the author jdownloads
    I think there was even software promoted that finds your images so you can contact them. (sue them)
    You are fine if you use pictures with the proper license.
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    • Profile picture of the author Marcus W K Wong
      Originally Posted by jdownloads View Post

      I think there was even software promoted that finds your images so you can contact them. (sue them)
      You are fine if you use pictures with the proper license.
      I'm an ex-prophotographer. The website/software you're referring to is TinEye Reverse Image Search

      I've used to to trace where my images have been used. Super handy + free.
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  • Profile picture of the author danieldesai
    It's always safer to just use photos that you pay for the rights to.

    My favorite photo site is depositphotos.com because they have enough variety and they're also affordably priced.

    The small amount you pay and the peace of mind you get is so much better than using free images that may carry dire consequences.

    Regards,
    Daniel
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    • Profile picture of the author EelKat
      Originally Posted by danieldesai View Post

      It's always safer to just use photos that you pay for the rights to.

      My favorite photo site is depositphotos.com because they have enough variety and they're also affordably priced.

      The small amount you pay and the peace of mind you get is so much better than using free images that may carry dire consequences.

      Regards,
      Daniel
      I use depositphotos.com as well, and also bigstock

      however, the majority of my images are screen shot stills off of my videos that I filmed on my cellphone... I'm often writing about something local (a landmark, restaurant, etc) or about plants (that I grow in my garden) or pets (mine) or food (photos taken as I cook) and so it's best to just take a picture of it while I'm there on location researching it.

      By doing my own photos, I know #1 I own the copyright & #2 it's an original that no one else has.
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  • Profile picture of the author Brad Gosse
    Use legal images = sleep through the night.

    I don't know of the site you refer to but there's a lot of people sharing images that are copyright protected.

    Many stock sites have low priced images or free that you can use with a proper license. I would go that road than some user generated content site where the user can be anyone.

    Good luck with your new site!
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  • Profile picture of the author russflex
    Use public domain images. That is the best way to do it.
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  • Profile picture of the author Steve B
    As your grandma told you . . .

    "It's better to be safe than sorry!"

    Anyone can upload an image to the Internet and say "go ahead and use it as you want" . . . but you don't know for sure if the person doing the uploading is really the copyright holder.

    Images are really quite inexpensive at some of the stock sites catering to bloggers and you can get a license for less than a dollar.

    Play by the rules in this instance.

    Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author positivenegative
    I have some images you can use free of charge. I presume your username is a clue to your business.





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  • Profile picture of the author Regional Warrior
    One thing to be very careful of is that Getty Images a few years ago bought up a lot of the free services, and there Jack boots have been emailing and contacting persons online for not having the lic for said photo even though was purchased from company X last year means nothing

    Jason
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    • Profile picture of the author irawr
      Banned
      Originally Posted by Regional Warrior View Post

      One thing to be very careful of is that Getty Images a few years ago bought up a lot of the free services, and there Jack boots have been emailing and contacting persons online for not having the lic for said photo even though was purchased from company X last year means nothing

      Jason
      Yet another reason to use private domain registration.

      If you unintentionally use an unlicensed image from a public domain site, they could still get your personal information in theory, but they'll probably move on to easier targets.

      Not saying you should steal images here and hide under a private domain because the registrars will reveal your information if they get a subpoena.

      ALSO: TIP. Any time you ever get a legal threat that isn't handed to you by a police officer:

      Step #1 Calm Down.
      Step #2 See what the problem is.
      Step #3 If you can resolve the problem easily, do it. (delete the image)
      Step #4 Remember to give them absolutely no information.

      If Getty sent me an email threatening to sue, I would find the image(s) mentioned, delete it, respond with "Image deleted" and send that email from "admin@mydomain.com" not giving them my name, or anything else. I would never, ever, consider paying them, that's a semi legal form of extortion.

      If this was submitted via the contact form and you have private registration, they probably know nothing about you other then your website's address.

      I also, ALWAYS, use pen names and create separate social media accounts for those names. I realize this violates the terms of service for some of these sites but it's for my own protection. If they have a serious problem with it they can ban the account (has never happened.) I suggest keeping this to a minimum, one or two pen names is enough.
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  • Profile picture of the author Starlyn Tejada
    Hi! as a web developer I have some experience in this! \o/ which is bad.
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  • Profile picture of the author Starlyn Tejada
    crap I pressed enter now can't edit last post. Anyway 2-3 years ago used a picture of Sal from breaking bad, the picture was edited already like a meme and was in another website. so to me it was perfectly ok to use I though. I made a great article about lawyers etc and forgot about it. I received an email many months later from a "photography" company in NYC they showing the "original" picture and saying I was being sued for $700 dollars. I was like wait a minute I didn't make that meme you should be suing whoever used the image in first place and put it online!. I ignored the email, then like a month later a mail came in saying the same thing. even if I deleted the image it was still under copy right law. it really frustrated me. I researched online and found this happens all the time and they can claim ANY amount even if you delete the picture. it stressed me too much I wiped my whole website in anger (lost so much great content) but I had ALL my pictures from google I didn't know that law existed. like 9 months later a girl called me and told me about the suing and if I want to "solve" it with a credit card I said No. is been around 2 -3 years now nothing had happened yet.
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    • Profile picture of the author Bear Trader
      Originally Posted by Starlyn Tejada View Post

      crap I pressed enter now can't edit last post. Anyway 2-3 years ago used a picture of Sal from breaking bad, the picture was edited already like a meme and was in another website. so to me it was perfectly ok to use I though. I made a great article about lawyers etc and forgot about it. I received an email many months later from a "photography" company in NYC they showing the "original" picture and saying I was being sued for $700 dollars. I was like wait a minute I didn't make that meme you should be suing whoever used the image in first place and put it online!. I ignored the email, then like a month later a mail came in saying the same thing. even if I deleted the image it was still under copy right law. it really frustrated me. I researched online and found this happens all the time and they can claim ANY amount even if you delete the picture. it stressed me too much I wiped my whole website in anger (lost so much great content) but I had ALL my pictures from google I didn't know that law existed. like 9 months later a girl called me and told me about the suing and if I want to "solve" it with a credit card I said No. is been around 2 -3 years now nothing had happened yet.

      Most of these so called companies are scamers who try to fleece bloggers by claiming they own the original I know this for a fact. Did you say they showed you an original? Big deal anyone can get an unedited version. Same extortion scam used for everything from Tax, paypal, credit cards etc You should have challenged them a bit more.
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    • Profile picture of the author Claire Koch
      I guess those people never heard of cease and desist.

      Originally Posted by Starlyn Tejada View Post

      crap I pressed enter now can't edit last post. Anyway 2-3 years ago used a picture of Sal from breaking bad, the picture was edited already like a meme and was in another website. so to me it was perfectly ok to use I though. I made a great article about lawyers etc and forgot about it. I received an email many months later from a "photography" company in NYC they showing the "original" picture and saying I was being sued for $700 dollars. I was like wait a minute I didn't make that meme you should be suing whoever used the image in first place and put it online!. I ignored the email, then like a month later a mail came in saying the same thing. even if I deleted the image it was still under copy right law. it really frustrated me. I researched online and found this happens all the time and they can claim ANY amount even if you delete the picture. it stressed me too much I wiped my whole website in anger (lost so much great content) but I had ALL my pictures from google I didn't know that law existed. like 9 months later a girl called me and told me about the suing and if I want to "solve" it with a credit card I said No. is been around 2 -3 years now nothing had happened yet.
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  • Profile picture of the author Jomealawuru
    Yes you could actually get into trouble. I don't trust any of these sites as you could even get into trouble even if you have a license to use the photo or image. I would completely go for making your own images. it's easy and fun to do and you could at the end sell these photos or images. between it's not difficult to learn an you could even make your own images from the first day. You just have to be creative. If you choose to go the route of free images. make sure to get the right license and also make sure you are covered. As marketers, some of the way we use photos can be explained to mean something different that you could be charged for. Take for instance, a personal right use. say if you have a open a facebook account for your business, does that constitute a personal right use? The answer is, it could be interpreted to mean that such is a commercial use to promote your business. Do you get it? also it is good to note that facebook has a section on "protecting other peoples right within their terms of condition which also provides guidiance which provides some further guidance for users of its website. Now some of the things you should ask your supplier or where you get your images from goes like this
    1.Ask them if they have the permission to license the copyright?
    2.Ask them if they have model and property releases for all of your imagery?
    3.Ask them if they offer additional legal protection should a dispute arise?
    4.Ask them if their company have an inspection process for identifying potentially risky properties, trademarks etc? Ask them if they can please describe?
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  • Profile picture of the author Jomealawuru
    You can read extensively about this on this website stockphotorights.com/faq/#qtays . no I am not affiliated to the site in anyway..just so people can learn everything about using free images
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    • Profile picture of the author Noitartst
      Originally Posted by Jomealawuru View Post

      You can read extensively about this on this website stockphotorights.com/faq/#qtays . no I am not affiliated to the site in anyway..just so people can learn everything about using free images
      I've wondered about this-- namely, I see lot of places on the web with images of cartoon shows and the like especially on YouTube, and I wondered why, and how.

      This video illustrates--almost certainly copyright violations, and this
      guy
      does it a lot--how does he get away with it?

      He could get sued a aplenty.
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  • Profile picture of the author Dean1
    Hi, buying photos is safer. Fotolia has pretty good pricing it's owned by Adobe..

    it will save you time finding the perfect photo and save you from law suits..
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  • Profile picture of the author vishwa
    I usually uses images from stock site. if you don't have a photo you may purchase it or try to create your own. Using copyrighted images is a headache and you should have to avoid it.
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  • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
    Starlyn, the fact that you used what's called a "derivative work" (an original that's been altered, like your meme) doesn't matter. The person who used the original to create the meme might even have had a license to create the meme, but not the right to sell or otherwise distribute it. The original rights holder could go after both the meme creator and anyone they improperly sold the derivative image to.

    I agree that you should have pushed for more proof of ownership, but to say anyone who contacts you is a scammer who is safely ignored is ignorant.
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  • I use depositphotos too for images and if it's just a minor image requirement, like a background, I use pixabay.

    I normally follow a rule when positing images. Use depphotos for important ones (if there is a need for a model to be in the picture or if a brand is showing in the image), and pixabay for generic requirements (no model in pic, no brands or anything with distinctive marks etc)

    Also, in your site, you need to mention in your terms or legal pages that you are using these sources for images just to be clear to your audiences.
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  • Profile picture of the author TrickyDick
    It doesn't really matter who you buy it from for $1 or $1,000.... There is always the potential to be sued... You have no clue as to who legally "owns" the image.

    Sure, the web site you "buy" the image from could be "blamed." But, in the end, you are still on the hook for content you publish....

    I have no doubt some of those people being sued by Getty Images "bought" those images from one of those $1 web sites.
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  • Profile picture of the author CityCowboy
    Most website publishers are ignorant of Copyrights Law, therefore when someone (Getty Images for example) threathen to sue them, they obide and usually even pay them the amount they are asking for, so that they dont get into trouble, most copyrights like this won't stand a chance in court, I mean look at the guy above whi deleted his whole website in fear of being sued. therefore if you're not aware of copyright laws and other legal work, it is better to hire an attorney to make it easier for you, again by simply deleting the image, the won't have nothing against you.
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    • Profile picture of the author ForumGuru
      Banned
      Originally Posted by CityCowboy View Post

      therefore if you're not aware of copyright laws and other legal work, it is better to hire an attorney to make it easier for you, again by simply deleting the image, the won't have nothing against you.
      Hello,

      Your advice to seek legal counsel is pretty good, but your assumption that a copyright holder "does not have anything against you" if you delete the image you unlawfully used is simply untrue. While it may satisfy some who pursue copyright violators, it won't always satisfy them all.

      Tons of means are available to prove a site used an image after it was deleted...screenshots, internet archives, cached page saves, cached search results, etc. etc. Secondarily, the image may have a digital embed code (or a digital visual profile) that can be (or already was) pinged by software that crawls the net and looks for the use of particular images. Once the image or images have been identified, the suspected end use violation(s) can then be matched against a register of lawful licenses and licensees for that particular image.

      Cheers

      -don
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  • Profile picture of the author TheGMa
    Been up against Getty, and it was my fault - I used their logo (I had just stuck it on the page as an anchor for the image I was going to use) and published article piece with referral link. I completely forgot to insert the image I had actually bought from Getty. Their atty's are not ruthless, but are determined to get their ounce (not pound, in my case) of flesh.

    These days I use the list I found on Verena Ho's site. Verena is a fellow Warrior.

    They are all public domain, free for commercial use, and there are a ton of images to use for whatever purpose you may wish. To be on the safe side, I always use TinEye, a reverse image lookup, to verify that the image I'm about to use was not plucked from a listed copyright.

    The Best Free Stock Photos Websites That Professional Web Designers Won't Tell You About: 18 Free Stock Photo Sites, like Pixabay and Stocksnap, that offer Creative Commons Zero images (see creativecommons.org for an explanation of the licensing), meaning no attribution is required.

    I use both CC0 and attribution photos because there are a few artists whose work I particularly like who only want recognition for their effort.

    - Annie
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  • Profile picture of the author ForumGuru
    Banned
    Below I will note a few downsides of using public domain (CC0 ) and even some creative commons images.

    #0) [Copyright and Release Ground Zero] You have no guarantee that the images were legally obtained by the people uploading the images to the public domain sites. On the same note, in most cases, nobody really knows for sure if the images were actually created by someone that has the rights to offer an image with a creative commons license, either.

    #1) The fact of the matter is this, some ignorant folks think that once they find an image published on the web, they wrongfully think or believe it is automatically a public domain image. Wanting to increase their web cred, or for whatever other reasons, some of these peeps upload copyrighted images they "thought" were public domain to photo sharing sites like flickr, wallpaper sites, pubdom sites, and some even sell the stolen picks on Fiverr and other places. A copyrighted image that is pirated, and then placed on a photo sharing site that claims all photos are public domain, is still a copyrighted image.

    #2) Almost all public domain image sites do not guarantee the images they display are actually public domain images, in-fact these sites have public disclaimers that tell you to use the images at your own risk. The same goes for most sites that allow users to upload images under the Creative Common license, you have no guarantee the uploader had the rights to the image in the first place.

    #3) Copyright is not the only thing that needs to be considered when using images, especially when you use them commercially. Not only do you need a proper license or permission to use for a specific end use(s), you may also need to use an image that has a signed Model and/or Property release.

    As an example, I can't take a photo of a famous pro quarterback and then use the image in my advertising campaigns that makes it appear as if the player is endorsing my product, service, company or cause. I can't use his face prominently in advertising and marketing campaigns etc. etc. without a model release.

    If the player is wearing an NFL uniform, then I ALSO need property releases from the NFL team and the NFL to use the images that have the NFL and team logo's on them for the similar commercial endeavors.

    If I can't use my own photos without a model and property release for commercial advertising and marketing, obviously a person that did not create the photo needs the releases as well.

    This does not only apply to famous people, it also applies to recognizable people, silhouettes, etc. etc. For instance, you can't take a picture of me and then use it as I described above without obtaining a signed model release from me.

    Property releases need to be obtained when using pictures of trademarked buildings, structures and pictures that show corporate logos and brands etc., when using the images for many/most marketing and advertising purposes.

    Furthermore, you can't use pictures of people in a way that will defame them or show them in a false light unless you have a signed model release. In most U.S. states, and many other countries, people are entitled not only to the the right of privacy, but also to the right of PUBLICITY. Each individual person has some control over the right to use their own likeness. And no, you can't trace a photo and then use the drawing of the person either...line drawing, photo, painting etc. A few exceptions to this rule exist, but that's a bit too detailed to get into on this thread.

    How do you make sure you have a proper license to use an image? Obtain the image from a reputable stock image site, photographer, agency or graphic artist or similar reputable dealer or vendor.

    How do you obtain a model or property release? You purchase the rights to the image from a company or photographer that has a model and/or property release from the model or trademark owner on file. A release is normally obtained at the time the photo was shot.

    Royalty Free photos do not usually come with model and/or property releases, in-fact the great majority of them do not when talking about the professional stock image industry in general. Typically, these types of photos are licensed Rights Managed and not Royalty Free.

    So....if you want to be sure when using an image, especially on your ad copy, marketing materials, web hits, web video, banners, logos etc, and that image includes a person's face, a famous building, a trademarked name or logo etc. your best bet is to obtain the image from a reputably image entity that offers clear license terms and releases.

    Free image sites offer no guarantees, most do not offer any model or property releases, and almost anybody and their brother and sister can upload any image they find to these types of image sites.

    All that said, and as others have mentioned, Pixabay is one of the more reputable public domain sites, and they do have some images that claim to have model releases in place.

    If you are using images in your everyday business and don't want to worry, and you don't want to attribute, then purchasing stock image licenses from reputable photographers and stock image companies is by far the best way to go.

    Cheers

    -don
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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      Originally Posted by ForumGuru View Post

      Below I will note a few downsides of using public domain and even some creative commons images.

      [snip]

      If you are using images in your everyday business and don't want to worry, and you don't want to attribute, then purchasing stock image licenses from reputable photographers and stock image companies is by far the best way to go.

      Cheers

      -don
      Don, that's an awesome post. Well done.

      When using images online, especially for commercial purposes, you can't eliminate the risk of getting sued.

      But by doing things the right way, you can manage and minimize the risk.
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      • Profile picture of the author ForumGuru
        Banned
        Originally Posted by JohnMcCabe View Post

        Don, that's an awesome post. Well done.

        When using images online, especially for commercial purposes, you can't eliminate the risk of getting sued.

        But by doing things the right way, you can manage and minimize the risk.
        Thanks, John. Appreciated...

        It's most definitely not minimizing risk, but it's quite interesting to me that Fair Use has not been mentioned on this thread with the exception of the talk of derivatives, and FWIW, some derivatives can fly under fair use doctrine. For sure current copyright law with regards to derivatives is an especially touchy subject for many photographers these days, especially considering the rise of social media.

        The OP was not specific about what types of images he needs for his blog, or the types of articles he is writing/using/posting, but if it's a legit blog, with some legit editorials, educational posts, newsworthy stuff or real reviews or parodies, it's possible that the proper application of fair use legal doctrine could fly fairly far.

        Then again, if it looks like most crappy marketing blogs, it may not.

        Folks need to remember though, if you are relying on fair use on your sites, you may end up with your site shut down and/or in a costly legal battle. The only place to prove your use is fair use if the copyright holder disagrees that your use fair, is inside a court of law.

        Does fair use give you any peace of mind? Erhmmm, usually not so much. And yes, you should have a decent understanding of copyright law before you consider using an image under "fair use" doctrine. Should someone rely on fair use images in the situations I described in my previous post? No! No! No! No!

        Cheers

        -don
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    • Profile picture of the author irawr
      Banned
      Originally Posted by ForumGuru View Post

      Below I will note a few downsides of using public domain and even some creative commons images.

      :post removed due to length:

      Cheers

      -don
      I would also suggest not using stock photos with people's faces and photo-shopping out all logos and trademarks. If you are truly infringing on the copywrite, you're still infringing, but it's less to worry about.
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  • Profile picture of the author 3wCorner
    It's safer to use free stock photos. Pixabay.com has a great collection of free photos.
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    • Profile picture of the author Regional Warrior
      Originally Posted by 3wCorner View Post

      It's safer to use free stock photos. Pixabay.com has a great collection of free photos.
      Have you not read any of the reply's?? free is no always free and you can get sued

      Jason
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  • Profile picture of the author briannaemm
    Just give proper credit to the owner of the photos you are using.

    The owner has the right to be acknowledge.
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    • Profile picture of the author ForumGuru
      Banned
      Originally Posted by briannaemm View Post

      Just give proper credit to the owner of the photos you are using. The owner has the right to be acknowledge.
      Wrong. In Monopoly terms --> go directly to jail, do not pass go, do not collect $200. Once you are released from jail return and read this thread from top to bottom.

      Good grief.

      -don
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  • Profile picture of the author basteluna
    Maybe the photos you used have copyright issue.

    Just give proper credit to the owners.
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    • Profile picture of the author ForumGuru
      Banned
      Originally Posted by basteluna View Post

      Maybe the photos you used have copyright issue.

      Just give proper credit to the owners.
      Wrong.

      Holy moly! Some of you newbs need to:

      #1 Get a clue before you post.

      #2 Don't post when you don't have a clue.

      #3 Read the entire thread --> or at least a fair portion of it before you post.

      #4 Repeat steps #1 through #3 prior to commenting on a thread.

      I sure hope you next post is more helpful than your last.

      Thanks

      -don
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  • Profile picture of the author 3wCorner
    I use free photos from pixabay.com. Yes, it's pretty scary of getting sued so you better check the license of those photos before using it to your blog or personal website.
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    • Profile picture of the author Regional Warrior
      Originally Posted by 3wCorner View Post

      I use free photos from pixabay.com. Yes, it's pretty scary of getting sued so you better check the license of those photos before using it to your blog or personal website.
      Best read the post above yours as you sure don't get it
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  • Profile picture of the author EPoltrack77
    Sure especially if your blog is producing an income. Its easy though to stay clear of that. There are tons of PLR image sites. You can also use google. In images click on the little star icon under your profile then from there select advance and you can scroll down to the bottom of the page and select only images that you can use and even change or alter. You'll get thousands...
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    • Profile picture of the author ForumGuru
      Banned
      Originally Posted by EPoltrack77 View Post

      Sure especially if your blog is producing an income. Its easy though to stay clear of that. There are tons of PLR image sites. You can also use google. In images click on the little star icon under your profile then from there select advance and you can scroll down to the bottom of the page and select only images that you can use and even change or alter. You'll get thousands...
      Sure...you may find thousands of images. Does Google guarantee the image license tags are correct? Nope. Does Google give you permission to use the image? Nope. Does Google give you any guarantees or protections? Nope. Generally speaking, to use images that you find on Google or Google Images images you need to obtain/verify permission from the copyright holder prior to using the image.

      Straight from Google's FAQ page ---> Get Permission from the Image Owner, which is typically first person that posted the image to the web!



      https://www.google.com/permissions/faq.html

      Cheers

      -don
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  • Profile picture of the author T S Chan
    Currently i use 123rf.com for most of my IM projects...

    Affordable price and good quality.
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  • Profile picture of the author windowstoweb
    suing depends on your living country.
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  • Profile picture of the author Mark Singletary
    Here is how the Google Images "licensing" information can sting you.

    I searched for a topic. Then did an advanced search/filter wanting to see only those images I could use and share commercially. Sure enough, I found one.

    Then I used TinEye.com to do a reverse image search. The image is part of Getty Images. If I use the photo I can be sued.

    The problem here is that this photo was in a YouTube video with a "Creative Commons Attribution license (reuse allowed)" license. Google Images picked that up and said the photo is shareable even in commercial contexts but it didn't know about the real/original Getty license attached to the image in the video.

    In addition, since this was a full front view of a person's face, a model release would be necessary I understand.

    Mark
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    • Profile picture of the author JohnMcCabe
      Originally Posted by Mark Singletary View Post

      Here is how the Google Images "licensing" information can sting you.

      I searched for a topic. Then did an advanced search/filter wanting to see only those images I could use and share commercially. Sure enough, I found one.

      Then I used TinEye.com to do a reverse image search. The image is part of Getty Images. If I use the photo I can be sued.

      The problem here is that this photo was in a YouTube video with a "Creative Commons Attribution license (reuse allowed)" license. Google Images picked that up and said the photo is shareable even in commercial contexts but it didn't know about the real/original Getty license attached to the image in the video.
      Excellent example. Thanks, Mark.

      Originally Posted by Mark Singletary View Post

      In addition, since this was a full front view of a person's face, a model release would be necessary I understand.

      Mark
      Which I imagine Getty or the original photographer has on file, and would be included in a legitimate license.
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  • Profile picture of the author kindsvater
    There's a flip side to this ....

    1. Take / Design your own pictures and graphics.

    2. Register them with the US Copyright Office so you invoke statutory penalties (instead of having to prove damage for improper use).

    3. Prominently use your media on your site(s) and let Google index them. Even better, also note in your legal terms the media is copyrighted and cannot be copied.

    4. Tell the idiot marketers who steal the media and/or who think "giving credit" is sufficient that "giving credit" means handing over their credit card with a payment of a few grand.

    .
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  • Profile picture of the author ForumGuru
    Banned
    Hello,

    TinEye has been around since 2008 and was first mentioned on this thread by Annie in post #22. Below I have compiled a fairly comprehensive list of popular reverse image search engines, tools and services.

    Some of the Top Reverse Image Search Engines

    Google Reverse Image Search (2009)
    TinEye
    Pinterest Visual Search Tool
    Karma Decay
    Wolfram's Image Identify
    Image Raider
    Baidu
    Yandex

    Browser add-ons and extentions

    TinEye
    Bing Image Match
    Google Reverse Image Search
    Who stole my pictures

    Apps

    Reverse Image Search
    Google Goggles
    Veracity

    I have found tens of thousands of instances of unauthorized use of my images over the years using these tools --> I am quite sure the number would be a whole lot higher if I took the time (or spent the money) to ID more instances of unauthorized use.

    In-fact I have used several these tools to bust a BUNCH of bogus vendors selling bogus image WSOs and Classified Ads here over the past few years, saving thousands of unsuspecting warriors from unknowingly purchasing pirated image packages. Heck, I have used the tools to bust many a bogus War Room giveaway as well...

    I have used a couple of these tools for a long time, and at times, they do come in quite handy. Now let's move on to a system that has some real gumption, the Gold Standard in Image Identification systems.

    Digimarc (Founded in 1995)

    The most popular paid service to automatically crawl the web to find unauthorized instances of particular images is Digimarc. Many of the big players have been using Digimarc for a decade or two. Digimark embeds an invisible code that can be ID'd by Digimarc Search Service which continually crawls the web looking for images embedded with the Digimark digital ID.

    https://www.digimarc.com/

    https://www.digimarc.com/application/copyright/

    https://www.digimarc.com/support/pro...s-support/faq/

    Digmarc’s Search Service is for individuals, companies and organizations who want to:

    • Know where their image assets are being used on the web
    • Ensure they are fairly compensated for the use of their images
    • Monitor that the right images are being used on the right sites at the right time
    • Measure the effectiveness of marketing programs and campaigns
    • Better manage their brand online
    • Unearth leaks or quickly learn about embargoed images online
    If you have the great images, and the cabbage, Digimarc is the way to go. I believe the current price for the Digimark service is $119 a year for 2000 images which includes DSS.

    Cheers

    -don
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  • Profile picture of the author Slimifit
    Lots of great stock photo agencies out there and for your own sake and peace of mind its better to buy an image that you want to use. Good luck!
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  • Profile picture of the author Jasmine Carter
    This is something I also worried about when I first started my blog and yes you can get sued the best bet is to pay for your pictures from a legitimate site that offers pictures you know and researched are legal to use. like it has been said "Better safe than sorry". It doesn't take long look it up and keep yourself safe.
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