Skip to main content

Google aims to help pro photographers via changes to image searches

Getty images on Google.
Google
Everyone from website builders to merchandise makers continue to pull images from Google without first checking to see if any conditions are attached to the use of the potentially copyrighted content.

The picture pilfering is a serious problem for photographers who’re trying to make a living from their craft, with Getty Images deeming the situation so serious that it lodged a complaint against Google in 2016.

Recommended Videos

Now Getty Images and Google have reached an agreement that should work for all photographers, and will hopefully lead to fewer downloads from Google Images for uses that contravene copyright laws.

In an email sent to its photographers and seen by PetaPixel, Getty said its concerns about Google’s use of images has now been recognized by the Mountain View, California-based company.

“Google has worked closely with us to address many issues raised by Getty Images around Google Images,” the email said.

Getty said that the web giant has agreed to implement changes to Google Images, “including making the copyright disclaimer more prominent and removing the ‘view image’ button.” The button takes web users to the best-quality image available, enabling a quick and easy download.

Getty Images, one of the most prominent photo agencies in the world, said the changes would benefit “all image owners globally.”

Licensing partnership

The pair have also agreed to a multiyear licensing partnership that will allow Google to use Getty Images content across its various products and services, though few details were offered regarding the terms of the deal.

“This agreement between Getty Images and Google sets the stage for a very productive, collaborative relationship between our companies,” Getty Images CEO Dawn Airey said in a statement. “We will license our market-leading content to Google, working closely with them to improve attribution of our contributors’ work and thereby growing the ecosystem.”

The photo agency’s 2016 complaint claimed that Google “scraped” image content from other publishers, offering it in search results for free — a practice that it said in its own particular case resulted in a loss of revenue for the company and its photographers.

Getty Images said it had “fought for a fair and respectful marketplace for content creators around the world,” adding, “We believe our approach to work closely with Google will best protect copyright and the livelihoods of photographers, and other artists who rely on licensing to earn a living and fund the creation of new works.”

It described the agreement as “a significant milestone” but noted that “other battles remain.”

Indeed, while the changes may go some way to showing web users that it’s not OK to download any image you like for your own use, there will still be those who deliberately ignore copyright notices and download such images for a range of uses, including commercial. Dealing effectively with these more determined offenders is another challenge entirely.

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
GoPro launches ultralight, affordable Hero 4K Camera for $199
The 2024 GoPro hero is frozen in ice.

GoPro enthusiasts have a new camera to consider after the company introduced its miniature, ultralight 4K Hero late last week. It is the company's smallest and most affordable offering, costing just $199.

The Hero is waterproof and combines GoPro's simplest user interface with 4K video, 2x slo-mo at 2.7K resolution, and 12-megapixel photos. It is available on retail shelves around the world and online at GoPro's website.

Read more
The best camera phones in 2024: our top 9 photography picks
A person holding the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

In the past decade or so, cameras on smartphones have evolved so much that they can pretty much replace a standalone digital camera for most people. The results you can get on some of the best smartphones these days are just so impressive, and being able to be with you at all times means you'll never miss a moment.

But what if you want the best possible camera phone money can buy? A camera that won't let you down no matter what you're taking a picture of? You've come to the right place. Here are the very best camera phones you can buy in 2024.

Read more
An ace photographer is about to leave the ISS. Here are his best shots
The moon and Earth as seen from the ISS.

NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick is preparing to return to Earth after spending seven months living and working aboard the International Space Station (ISS).

After arriving at the orbital outpost, Dominick -- who is on his first mission to space -- quickly earned a reputation for being an ace photographer. He's been using the facility’s plethora of high-end cameras and lenses to capture amazing shots from his unique vantage point some 250 miles above Earth. Sharing his content on social media, the American astronaut has always been happy to reveal how he captured the imagery and offer extra insight for folks interested to know more.

Read more