12 Ways to Avoid Image Copyright Infringement
For personal and commercial purposes, we have to use images daily. Most of us take images from google and many times, knowingly or unknowingly, we download the copyright images and as a result, we often face warning from google, national or international organization, photographers, image sellers, and many others. We cannot, but take down our images fearing the penalties.
Sometimes, we are hatred socially and nationally, and even our business may face difficulties. Regarding this fact, we should know all about the copyright issues and the answer to what, why, and how. Besides, we should further know how to avoid copyright disputes and use images safely.
Learn: How to Avoid Copyright Images
It’s important to make sure your blog images don’t infringe copyright. This is important for a number of reasons — not least of which is that you could be sued for downloading and re-hosting copyrighted images from other blogs. In this article, we’re going to help you learn how to avoid using copyright images in 12 different ways.
1. Understanding Copyright Law
If you want to use images without a copyright dispute, you should have enough understanding of copyright law. You should know what copyright protects and what copyright does not protect. You should also know the penalties for copyright infringement. Because simply not knowing whether or not the photographs you’re utilizing are copyrighted might cause significant harm to you or your organization.
Copyright law protects literary works, drawings, films, paintings, photographs, music and lyrics, sculptures, choreography, and many such types of intellectual properties. Trademark registration also forbids the use of certain words, symbols, marks, etc. On the other way, if you express the real facts, ideas, or concepts in your own language found in other sources, it won’t be a violation of copyright law. A copy of any text file can be fall under plagiarism under state common law.
However, copyright policy may differ in different states and countries. Its application methods and penalties also may be different. So, if you like to use images for your business, you have to know the copyright law of that state, region, or country.
2. Don’t Take Any Images From the Internet
If possible, don’t take images from anywhere on the internet. If you can afford and you need many images, especially when you are a product marketer or owner, try to set up a product photography studio. Buy the latest gear or use your smartphone to capture product photographs in your in-house photography production house. You can also employ a photographer or use another’s studio for taking your product photographs. In this way, you can avoid copyright infringing.
3. Take Images Free From Public Domain
If you don’t need a big amount of images, you can take the images from the public domain websites that provide images free. They don’t want any attribution in most of their images, and even you can use the images for commercial purposes. But yet you have to be careful, because there are some images which you have to provide credit for, or you cannot use certain images commercially. To be ensured, click on the images and when it will be popped up, go through some exif data besides the images where you will find what to do or not to do. However, there are some links to a public domain such as Pixabay, Wikimedia Commons, Unsplash, Old Book Illustration, Public Domain Vectors, SpaceX, and Foodies Feed.
4. Download From Google Changing ‘Usage Right’
For having safe images, one thing more you can do. You can search for certain images of your niche on google. When the images will appear, you should do the following actions-
- Search images in google
- Click on Images
- Click on Tools
- Go to Usage rights
See these actions in the attached image. After hitting on ‘Usage right’, a pop up will appear with further instruction.
🔹 Now, if you want to get images for use after small editing, click on ‘Labeled for reuse with modification’
🔹 If you like to use images directly without modification, click on ‘Labeled for reuse’. You can use these images directly, but it is forbidden to modify them.
🔹 For using images for noncommercial purposes with modification, click on the ‘Label for noncommercial reuse with medication’. These images can be used for blogs and other noncommercial activities.
🔹 You can also use images for non-commercial purposes without modification. Use these images directly in blogs. To have the images, click on ‘Label for noncommercial reuse’.
5. Be Creative
The greatest way of having copyright-free images is to be creative and creating in-house materials. The topic, idea, or concept may be the same, but your creativity will change these images copyright and escape the copyright claim. If you use a screenshot or scan images, they will not be copyright free. So, you must be creative and produce unique images for your products.
6. Don’t Trust on “Fair Use”
‘Fair Use’ is a theory of the law of the USA that allows limited use of copyrighted materials without permission of the copyright owner. It includes not only images but also commentary, criticism, news report, search engines, study materials, parody, etc.
But still, fair use is not fair enough because of some hidden clauses inside the copyright holders’ terms & conditions. It may seem easy to understand, but actually, it is a very complex doctrine. So, if you don’t want to be a copyright infringer, avoid the use of Fair Use materials.
7. Receive Permission
If it is not possible to create original content or don’t have enough time to produce images, try to seek the permission of the content author. You should take always written documents while taking permission about how to use copyright content, how long it will be used, and where to use it, etc. Actually, it will act as a license in any dispute in the future. It is an easy and inexpensive way.
Sometimes, the owner can simply ask for credit instead of any license fee. You may think about where you would get the original author in case of using images. To track down the content creator, follow the trademark or go through the provided image link and take permission. However, keep all the legal documents preserved to stay out of future copyright trouble.
8. Give Credit
Instead of asking for the license fee, the original image author may want appreciation. It will be very simple, easy, and inexpensive. In this case, you can simply mention the name of the brand or author. Provide the link to the original image source when you are using the images. But still, you are not safe. You have to be careful and try to take written permission. Before using the images, without conversation don’t think only giving credit is enough.
The process of giving credit for using images you can follow:
🔹 Image by John Doe via [source link] (copyright-free)
🔹 Image via [source link] (copyright-free)
🔹 Via [source link] (copyright-free)
🔹 Via John Doe (Creative Commons 4.0 License)
9. Talk to a Lawyer
Copyright law is very simple to hear, but it is not as easy as it is heard. If you fall into the trap of this law, you may face great difficulties and even, it may stop your startup business. You must be careful knowing the pros and cons of this law. If you cannot understand the law or you are unsure of using any image, you should talk about the law with a lawyer.
10. Buy Images
The safest way not to be a copyright infringer is to purchase required images from image selling websites such as Stockphotos, Shutterstock, iStock, Bigstock, Dreamstime, Adobe Fotolia, and more. These sites are providing high-quality images for every sector. Many authors may ask for dollars instead of only appreciation. In such a case, buying images is better than hiring images.
Remember, don’t try to use images on these websites anyhow, because they have some software to trace out the copyright infringers.
11. Vectorize Images
If you are too smart, you can a simple trick to use high-cost images with copyright infringing. You can edit highly valuable images. To use these images, they can be transformed from raster to vector images. Great images cannot be used directly because of copyright law, but if you recreate these images in Illustrator and make them vector, hopefully, you can use them.
In this case, you have to be a perfectionist while converting raster to a vector so that the images can be flawless. But always look out for usage instructions before you do that.
12. Manipulate Images
Whatever you do instead of creating unique images or purchasing images from seller websites, you are not a hundred percent safe. If you use images by downloading from Google, in a word, you are not risk-free. So, try to purchase images according to requirements or if you like to create unique images as you need, it will be better.
You cannot edit or create new images? Don’t worry! We can help you by providing all types of image editing solutions or creative image manipulation services.
We provide all image editing services like clipping path, background removing, raster to vector conversion, image retouching, image restoration, ghost mannequin or neck joint service, and more by the most experienced graphic designers and vector experts.
Wrap-up
In closing, it’s important to note that avoiding copyright images and using royalty-free images doesn’t mean you will avoid all legal troubles. However, it does greatly increase your chances of staying out of trouble. So, always be sure to check for updates on your rights as a creative professional.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. How much do I need to change a photo to avoid copyright infringement?
You may have heard that changing 30% of an image will somehow rescue you from copyright infringement. But this has no legal evidence. We highly recommend that you not believe this myth.
You must take permission from the copyright owner before you use or edit it for commercial, personal, or any other purpose.
2. Where can I find information about an image’s owner and copyright info?
Sometimes you can find it via image EXIF data, which you can check by going to the image properties. Or you can use Google Lens, Bing image search, or TinEye to find lookalike pictures and find out the credible source. And in most cases, you may or may not find it.
But remember, all the images you see online are made by individuals who hold their copyright. So, always be aware of that.
3. If I alter an image is it still copyrighted?
Yes. It is still copyrighted. Moreover, there is a high chance of being sued by the copyright holder. Always check out your country’s and the international image copyright laws to avoid being misled by the myths folks spread on the internet.
4. Can I use Pinterest images commercially?
Like other social media platforms, Pinterest is an image-sharing and social networking website. As a result, they are not the right holders. But copyright owners can fill out a form for copyright removal requests.
All of its images are owned by someone. So, you can’t legally use it. You may visit their official website for more information.
