Image Piracy

 Last Review: September 16, 2010
Product(s): Images, graphics, and photos

Searching and downloading images on Google or Bing is copyright infringement, meaning illegal use of someone else's images without permission or paying a license fee. A copyright is the right of the owner to reproduce or permit someone else to reproduce copyrighted works. Even if a document or image on the Web does not have a copyright notice, it is still protected by copyright laws. Fair use is not a defense for copyright infringement of images.

How will anyone know? Many organizations use programs called "spiders" that search for images on the Web. Many companies have legal divisions that find illegal images and demand payment for damages up to 10x the cost of licensing each image.

What is the origin of the images on your website? Even if a third-party developer creates the site, you are responsible. Here are some guidelines to avoid the risk of image piracy and protect yourself and your organization:

1. If you don't know the origin of images or have proof of purchase, suspect images should be removed from your site.

2. If you have permission to use images, specifically list this permission on a disclaimer or terms page.

3. Purchase images from reputable sites like Ghetty Images and Corbis Images.

4. Make sure you keep purchase records or written permission, in case of audit.

5. Do not use watermark images that are likely unlicensed and present a poor reflection on your site.

If your organization needs help getting legal with licensed images, contact Matrixforce Sales at (918) 622-1167 Option 3 or sales@matrixforce.com