Are you infringing on another person’s copyright? I know many bloggers are using Google’s Image search to find photos to use on their blogs.
These same bloggers haven’t given a second thought to the fact they may be infringing on copyright when they use one of these images in their blog posts.
If you find an image online and upload it to your own blog without permission, you’re infringing on copyright. If you directly link to the image it’s worse.
Giving credit to your source does not take the place of obtaining permission.
When searching the net for images, you should always assume that any image you come across is copyrighted, unless stated otherwise.
Why use images protected by copyright when there are so many resources online for finding images that are free to reuse.
What pictures on the internet can you freely copy and use?
There are many sites, that offer images for reuse to anyone who wishes to use them.
Under Google’s Advance Search you can find images that are labeled for reuse.
Creative Commons provides a means to search for Creative Commons licensed work. You can search via creative commons for images from Flickr that are free to reuse.
Search Flickr for photos tagged Creative Commons or copyleft.
Also See:
Where to find images for your blog
Some photographers share their work with the public, by releasing them to the public domain. See photos8.com
All photos on Photos8.com are Free. You may use the images for any purpose, including commercial.
All pictures on publicdomainpictures.net are also free for commercial and personal use.
Remember to be sure and check the licensing on any photo or image you wish to use before using it on your blog.
Where do you find images for your blog?
Rose DesRochersRose wears many hats. She's a wife, mother, respite worker, proud shih-tzu owner, blogger, published poet, freelance writer, as well as the owner and administrator of Today's Writing Community and Blogger Talk Blog Community. Feel free to contact her with any questions you may have.Rose DesRochers has 1216 post(s) at Rose DesRochers – World Outside My Window
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25 responses so far ↓
Wrote: Feb 7, 2010 at 4:48 pm
I get my images from Google search. Oops.
If they concern anyone I would gladly remove them.
Umm..I’ll check out the sites you suggest in future though..
Glen´s last blog..Why Does It Matter
Rose DesRochers Reply:
February 7th, 2010 at 7:57 pm
That’s the thing Glen. Someone shouldn’t have to come to you and ask you to “remove” their photo.
Wrote: Feb 7, 2010 at 6:04 pm
Almost all of the images that I use on my blog are my own. On occasion, I do use images from Flickr, but always make sure that they are creative commons licensed.
I do also, on occasion use a screen print of a website when discussing that particular website or providing a link to a story appearing on that site.
Mike Goad´s last blog..Seismograph Pool
Rose DesRochers Reply:
February 7th, 2010 at 7:48 pm
Mike, thank you for respecting photographers rights.
Wrote: Feb 7, 2010 at 7:30 pm
I use Flickr all of the time. I always give credit to my source with a link back, but upload image to my own server. I figure if I’m still doing it wrong at least I’m giving them the necessary tools to find me and request removal.
Anne´s last blog..What Do You Mean, Exactly?
Rose DesRochers Reply:
February 7th, 2010 at 7:46 pm
Anne, do you only use photos that are creative commons licensed?
Wrote: Feb 7, 2010 at 7:59 pm
I’ve had an interest in copyright for quite a while. Even though I haven’t done anything on it for a while I do have a copyright site
Mike Goad´s last blog..Seismograph Pool
Wrote: Feb 7, 2010 at 9:03 pm
Thank you Rose for giving me places I can go to find images. I do really appreciate it. I know I haven’t been that great at this myself and I do want to give credit to the people. I think it is important.
Jim Hardin´s last blog..Hot ‘N Spicy Buffalo Posts
Rose DesRochers Reply:
February 8th, 2010 at 2:09 am
You’re welcome.
Wrote: Feb 7, 2010 at 9:36 pm
The WordPress plugin, “PhotoDropper” is a good tool to use. It lets you add images to your articles from flickr and automatically adds a copyright attribution under the image.
I personally think the plugin is broken (you can’t center the image and attribution as a single unit), but I do use it to find the images I use. I just add them manually to my articles.
Thanks for the tip about using google to find “free-to-use” images.
Kind regards,
Steve.
Rose DesRochers Reply:
February 7th, 2010 at 11:11 pm
Steve, thanks for the recommendation about the plugin. I see it allows you to add Creative commons licensed photos to your posts from Flickr. That’s cool!
Wrote: Feb 7, 2010 at 10:07 pm
Actually Rose, I have just been reading the concept of Fair Use on Wikipedia, and it seems that bloggers can indeed use images in their posts without worrying about copyright infringement as long as it fits within 4 categories. If it’s already been copied elsewhere, you’re perfectly within your rights to use any image you find, as the courts have determined that its effectiveness as still being revenue generating has already been diminished. Here’s the link if you’d like to check it out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fair_use
Rose DesRochers Reply:
February 7th, 2010 at 11:10 pm
First of all Wikipedia is not the most reliable source for information.
However, “Section 107 contains a list of the various purposes for which the reproduction of a particular work may be considered fair, such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.”
I’m not sure where you got “If it’s already been copied elsewhere, you’re perfectly within your rights to use any image you find.”
If I copy an image you took from your blog and use it here it’s an infringement of copyright. If someone then takes that image and uses it on their blog it’s an infringement of copyright. It’s a myth to believe if it’s posted elsewhere it’s now in the public domain and free to use.
Also, only a federal court can determine whether a particular use is, in fact, a fair use under the law.
Wrote: Feb 7, 2010 at 11:18 pm
@Rose DesRochers: I actually read five sources on the subject before giving you just that one link; I figured 5 links would be a bit of overkill.
If I indicate that something on my blog is copywritten by me and you use it, it’s infringement. If I have a Google image on my blog and it’s the same Google image that’s in multiple places on the internet, there’s no copyright infringement.
If what I write is considered “news” in any form on a blog, there’s no copyright as it pertains to the image. The definition of news is vague, of course, but so far it’s been upheld in multiple court cases.
Having said all of that, in general it’s probably best to be cautious with whatever images someone decides to use. Most of the images I use come from Imagekind, and since I have an affiliation agreement to market those images, I’m fine. One image I put up is quite dicey, I’ll admit, but it is what it is for now.
Mitch´s last blog..Webshots
Rose DesRochers Reply:
February 7th, 2010 at 11:38 pm
I do believe you are clearly misunderstood. When you search for any image via Google it states image may be subject to copyright. Just because some blogger copies that indexed image without permission and uses it on their blog or posts it in a forum etc does not mean it is now in the public domain and subject to fair use.
David L. Amkraut is a Los Angeles-based Attorney at law. He states “Unless you have specific permission, you can not distribute, copy, publicly display, sell, or otherwise exploit or commercially use someone else’s photos.” He goes on to say “Photos posted on newsgroups are not yours to use. They are not in the “public domain.
“It is difficult to imagine any situation involving the Internet where someone copying a photo could claim the fair use defense,” states Amkraut.
Source: “7 Deadly Myths of Internet Copyright“
Wrote: Feb 7, 2010 at 11:49 pm
@Rose DesRochers: I guess we’ll have to disagree on this one, Rose. You have your sources, I have mine.
Mitch´s last blog..Google Toolbar Tracks Your Movements
Rose DesRochers Reply:
February 8th, 2010 at 12:49 am
I guess we’ll just have to disagree then.
Wrote: Feb 8, 2010 at 2:08 am
@Mike Goad: I didn’t know that Mike.
Wrote: Feb 8, 2010 at 9:09 am
@Rose DesRochers: I used the link for Creative Commons above and the last image I used [which did offer links to download] did not show. I left a request to use the image with a link to my post. There are other images I can use if I am denied. Don’t want to infringe upon anyone’s rights, but I truly believed the all sizes button meant it was okay to use since not all images on Flickr allow you to download and resize.
I plan on using the link for Creative Commons from now on. Thanks.
Anne´s last blog..What Do You Mean, Exactly?
Rose DesRochers Reply:
February 14th, 2010 at 12:35 am
You’re welcome Anne.
Wrote: Feb 13, 2010 at 8:04 am
Fair use is a tricky thing. Even the Copyright Office says that: “The distinction between fair use and infringement may be unclear and not easily defined. There is no specific number of words, lines, or notes that may safely be taken without permission. Acknowledging the source of the copyrighted material does not substitute for obtaining permission.”
So I copy a page out of a copyrighted book – not likely to damage the copyright holder. I copy multiple chapters – harmful. Copy multiple chapters and try to sell it – yikes!
That said, FWIW, I think that Mitch’s understanding about fair use is just wrong: “The effect of the use upon the potential market for, or value of, the copyrighted work.” For an individual photo, that tends to be the whole thing.
I like to steal pictures from federal govt websites because, with few exceptions, that material is not copyrighted. I also am fond of Life magazine’s site which allows the use of its photos for non-commercial use.
Yet I will defend a specific recent use of a clearly (and stated) copyrighted piece I used. it was on a piece about decades, and the Chicago newspaper graphic had essentially typos all over it. That was commentary and, as I understood it, an acceptable use.
Roger Green´s last blog..Olympic QUESTION
Wrote: Feb 13, 2010 at 10:56 pm
Mitch is wrong and Rose is right. The fact that someone else has published a particular work, or that it appears in a Google search, does not mean that YOU are free to publish it. If the law were otherwise, the act of publishing a work by anyone, even the owner of rights in the work, would destroy his copyright. That would make no sense and it is not the law. Although Wikipedia is not the most reliable source for legal analysis in the first place, Mitch appears to misconstrue the passage he cites.
Wrote: Feb 15, 2010 at 3:23 pm
Thanks for highlighting this. I think a lot of people aren’t aware of this. Also thanks for sharing links for free images, do you know where I can find good cartoons?
Selurus´s last blog..Shorts (movie)
Wrote: Aug 22, 2010 at 10:29 pm
I take a lot of photographs, so I often use my own shots on my blog. If I don’t have an image that captures the essence of what I’m trying to convey, I may instead create a cartoon or animated video using various online tools such as Bitstrips or Xtranormal. My post, ““Make the Web site bright and shiny.” Bells, whistles and video are only cool if they help you tell your story. Choose carefully.” includes links to some of those resources.
I’d also add that it is often worth asking people for permission to use their pictures. I retain full copyright on the pictures I add to Flickr, but often when people ask if they can use them for non-commercial purposes I’ll say yes. I’ve found the same to be true when I’ve asked others to use their pictures. If the usage scenario is right many photographers can be quite helpful, esp. if they’re not selling them as artist prints or for editorial reproduction.
Heidi Cool´s last blog..Making the world better- by building better Web sites- Cleveland GiveCamp
Rose DesRochers Reply:
August 23rd, 2010 at 11:21 pm
I agree about asking permission. You’d be surprised those who say yes.