May 20, 2010 – Stockphotorights.com is a new one-stop online resource for information surrounding the licensing of images for commercial use. The site was launched by Getty Images, Inc., in response to a new survey which has identified an unsurprising lack of understanding among some image users. Backed by the support of the British Association of Picture Libraries and Agencies (BAPLA) and the Picture Archive Council of America (PACA), the site provides image users with the information and advice they need to license images with confidence, by connecting them with key stakeholders from the industry. Resources include frequently asked questions, case studies, an image licensing checklist, a short educational video (see below), a rolling feed of relevant news, informative links and a forum where users can discuss related topics.
Here are some interesting facts from the survey:
- More than one-third (39%) of the image users surveyed admitted to regularly exposing themselves to potential risk by using images copied directly from image search engines, and nearly one quarter (22%) said they source imagery for commercial use directly from photo-sharing websites.
- Almost half of the respondents (48%) said they did not fully understand legal protection or indemnification, (the form of warranty where the image supplier agrees to bear liability and assume certain legal costs if a claim around the image arises).
- Almost 45% of respondents were unaware that you can still face a legal claim relating to an image you used, even if you license it.
- A mere 18% reported paying for legal protection when licensing an image. Even among respondents who understood that certain image licenses include legal protection, 26% said they have considered themselves at risk by sourcing an image which doesn’t include it.
- 33% of small business decision makers think that legal protection is important when sourcing an image
- 41% of small business decision makers think it’s important to obtain the necessary permission from the models in an image
- 44% of small business decision makers source their images from Google Images
- 41% of small business decision makers aren’t aware that they could face a legal claim relating to an image, even if they licensed that image from a reputable supplier
- 27% of small business decision makers said that they do nothing consciously to ensure that the necessary permissions have been obtained from the copyright and trademark owners or models, they just license the image and assume “it’s all ok”
- 53% of those working in the creative industries said they did not fully understand legal protection
- 49% of those working in the creative industries obtain signed consent forms from models featured in the image
- 86% of those working in the creative industries said that they are aware of the legal consequences of using an image without a license agreement
- 16% of those working in the creative industries pay for legal protection when they license an image
Do yourself a favor and go through the resources at Stockphotorights.com. As photographers sharing our photos online is part of the creative process. We seek feedback and critique to improve our skills, but by sharing them publicly we also risk losing control of our copyrights to unknowing or unscrupulous image users.
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Founder of Current Photographer, co-host of The Digital Photography Cafe Show, Designer, Photographer, and overall tech geek.