2 Minute Tips: Why You Can’t Steal Photos from Google

In this issue of 2-Minute Tips, you’ll learn why you can’t simply steal photos from Google or other sites with a brief overview of image and photo copyright law. You’ll also get suggestions on where to find stock photos you can legally use and fit your budget.

Photos and images are necessary for marketing—brochures, websites, wearables—but they can be expensive. Many of my clients don’t have a large budget or the resources to take quality photos.

They often ask me, “Can’t you just find one on Google?”

The long and short of it—”No.”

And here’s why.

Please note: I’m not a lawyer and don’t know all angles of the law. If you doubt whether or not you can legally use an image, get legal consultation.

Copyright law doesn’t apply to me; I’m just a tiny fish in a big pond.

Wrong. 

All images found on the internet are subject to copyright laws, and these laws differ from country to country, image to image. Only the creator or legal copyright owner of an image or photo can determine how it is reproduced, displayed in public, distributed, or derived as part of or in conjunction with something else.

Photos and created images do not require special paperwork or associated symbol (©). The copyright automatically applies when it’s posted online because, once published, it exists in a “tangible medium.”

In addition, simply stating “I do not own the copyright to this…” doesn’t hold weight. You’re still illegally using the image—stealing—unless the owner has directly stated this condition to use it legally.

What types of copyright licenses are there?

There are various types of copyright licenses. Fair Use, Creative Commons, Royalty-Free, and Rights-Managed are some of the most popular offered through stock image sites. I won’t be going into detail; it would take months to dig into every nuance.

All licensing requirements are different, so make sure to read the agreement before use. Stock image sites have worked the legal end for you, so you can purchase the temporary rights to use an image based on license-specific rules.

Why are images under copyright, you ask?

Like music, film, and other artwork, it protects the asset’s owner financially, legally, and creatively.

Imagine taking a selfie, and within a week, because you posted this selfie on Facebook, you see your face in an advertisement for hemorrhoid cream. Not only did the company not ask your permission, but now you’re getting concerned calls from your family and harassed at work for being the “hemorrhoid guy.” Plus, you aren’t getting a dime from the company using your image, yet they are making money, and you are helping them.

Not cool.

There have to be some exceptions, right?

Work-for-Hire is one exception. If you hire a photographer or designer to photograph your products or design specific art for your business, you are paying for a service and own the work. However, it’s important to note that even in this case, a contract must state that it is “work-for-hire,” and you retain the rights.

I need images but can’t afford to hire someone to produce original art; what do I do?

There are a ton of stock image sites out there that offer photography, vector art, designs, icons, logos, and more. High-end, quality art is accessible. Some stock image websites require a small fee per month, some require a per-asset use fee, and some are free with use restrictions.

There are options for every budget. And even the more expensive options are much more economical than getting sued for copyright infringement.

Check out this list of my favorite stock image and photography websites:

Shutterstock (Paid)
Freepik (Free/Paid)
Pexels (Free/Attribution)
Pixabay (Free)
Dreamstime (Paid)
Getty Images (Paid)
Adobe Stock (Paid)

For more information on image copyright law, visit https://www.copyrightlaws.com/legally-using-images/.