Hi everyone,
I am hoping to get some clarity on a copyright issue that’s been on my mind. I run a personal blog where I post many blogs related to technologies like (redacted) and many more like this, I often like to include images to make the content more engaging. I know that just grabbing images from Google isn’t the best idea due to copyright restrictions but I am not entirely sure what my options are.
If I find an image on a website; how can I tell if it’s free to use and what is the correct way to attribute it: ?? Are there any reliable sources for copyright free images: ?? Also,, if I want to use someone’s copyrighted image..., how do I go about asking for permission: ?? Any specific wording or steps I should follow: ??
I want to make sure I'm doing everything legally and respecting creators' rights so any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance !!
Derek Theler
rpa
Clarification on Copyright for Using Images in Blogs
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dreeektheler
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Clarification on Copyright for Using Images in Blogs
Last edited by dreeektheler on Thu Oct 24, 2024 9:05 am, edited 1 time in total.
Re: Clarification on Copyright for Using Images in Blogs
Hi Derek and welcome to the forum
As you can see I have removed the links which you included in your posting. We have to screen out a great deal of spam from this site, and at first sight your posting had the appearance of just being to promote those sites.
There are a number of sources of images which can be freely shared. The best are those which have a Creative Commons licence attached. If you use one of these then it is important to follow the licence terms precisely, for instance with regard to providing a credit for the photographer or artist. And you must attach the same CC licence when you reuse the work. Next you can use certain reputable sites such as Pixabay, Freepik and so on, but make sure once again that you follow any licence requirements. And lastly you can search Wikimedia Commons. Here more caution is required because some images on Wikimedia rely on the US law when it comes to deciding whether copyright actually applies to the (mainly older) images. This may not mean that the image is free of copyright outside the USA.
If you want to ask for permission to use an image, you should use a reverse image search function to try to discover if a licence to use the image is being offered on a stock site, or if you know the photographer's name, apply directly to his/her website. There is no specific format for asking for permission, but you should tell the photgrapher what you intend to use the image for. The photographer can then set the licence fee based on how he/she judges your use will affect the long term value of the image. For example if you were to put the image on the advertising or packaging for a product which had sales in the millions, the fee would probably be higher than if it was just for use on a personal blog with fewer than a thousand followers.
And lastly, keep a note of where you found the image and the terms of the licence, in case you are challenged about it in the future. Remember that copyright infringement is a matter of strict liability. This means that your belief or intention at the time you used the image is immaterial to whether you could be found liable for infringment. Unless you can prove that you have a valid licence or that some legal exception applies, you leave yourself vulnerable to a claim for infringement.
As you can see I have removed the links which you included in your posting. We have to screen out a great deal of spam from this site, and at first sight your posting had the appearance of just being to promote those sites.
There are a number of sources of images which can be freely shared. The best are those which have a Creative Commons licence attached. If you use one of these then it is important to follow the licence terms precisely, for instance with regard to providing a credit for the photographer or artist. And you must attach the same CC licence when you reuse the work. Next you can use certain reputable sites such as Pixabay, Freepik and so on, but make sure once again that you follow any licence requirements. And lastly you can search Wikimedia Commons. Here more caution is required because some images on Wikimedia rely on the US law when it comes to deciding whether copyright actually applies to the (mainly older) images. This may not mean that the image is free of copyright outside the USA.
If you want to ask for permission to use an image, you should use a reverse image search function to try to discover if a licence to use the image is being offered on a stock site, or if you know the photographer's name, apply directly to his/her website. There is no specific format for asking for permission, but you should tell the photgrapher what you intend to use the image for. The photographer can then set the licence fee based on how he/she judges your use will affect the long term value of the image. For example if you were to put the image on the advertising or packaging for a product which had sales in the millions, the fee would probably be higher than if it was just for use on a personal blog with fewer than a thousand followers.
And lastly, keep a note of where you found the image and the terms of the licence, in case you are challenged about it in the future. Remember that copyright infringement is a matter of strict liability. This means that your belief or intention at the time you used the image is immaterial to whether you could be found liable for infringment. Unless you can prove that you have a valid licence or that some legal exception applies, you leave yourself vulnerable to a claim for infringement.
Advice or comment provided here is not and does not purport to be legal advice as defined by s.12 of Legal Services Act 2007