Why did Getty Images Allow Free Image Use?

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Take Our Images and Run


Sounds like Getty Images has given everyone the right to use their images online free and unrestricted use of most of their photos. The intent may be far different than their dilemma. 

What Started This Unrestricted Use?

Ever published a website or a blog and needed a photo to accompany an article you've written, or seen images associated with an article you've read? Chances are that 50% of the articles are using photos without permission. Getty along with most of us who publish photos can't very effectively stop people from taking the photos and copy and pasting them for their purposes. Most of the uses are not for profit so most of us don't really get too excited. They are added to a page for example of what is being written or displayed, so instead of chasing them with our attorney's on retainer, we let it go.

What Getty has done is to allow the use as an embedded image, meaning they can then track the use of for editorial uses only. That will take a ton of work, coding all of the images for that purpose. Perhaps they have already done all the work, but it seems doubtful considering the many millions of images available, some 35 million to date, from what is reported. 

Did They Really Have No Choice?

It seems they have been looking at protecting images for years without much success. I'll take this security attempt in my next post, so stay tuned to the second part of this news, just reported today at CNN News.






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