Images and Copyright - the Basics
Thanks to Helen for emphasising the importance of trying to get the copyright status across.
The bottom line is that many images on the Internet are owned by various people and companies. Just because it's technically possible to save an image to your computer by right-clicking it (on a PC), doesn't mean that someone has the legal right to then turn around and use that image in a post on the web.
So here are the types of thing that might tell you that an image belongs to another source and is not suitable for reuse:
1. A copyright symbol on the image:
2. A web address (URL) on the image:
Even free clipart sites that include the URL on the image, probably expect a link back to their site.
Each site has it's own terms and conditions which need to be read carefully before using their images.
3. A 'watermark':
This is usually an feint bit of text or a logo that renders the image unusable for commercial purposes, but asserts ownership.
4. A known character that is the trademarked property of the artist or a company:
(Could you guess I meant Garfield? Can't draw lasagne )
This means clip art of characters like the Simpsons or a Disney character are not free to use.
I'm going to now make another post about how to apply those guidelines to a site like Photobucket.
Thanks to Helen for emphasising the importance of trying to get the copyright status across.
The bottom line is that many images on the Internet are owned by various people and companies. Just because it's technically possible to save an image to your computer by right-clicking it (on a PC), doesn't mean that someone has the legal right to then turn around and use that image in a post on the web.
So here are the types of thing that might tell you that an image belongs to another source and is not suitable for reuse:
1. A copyright symbol on the image:
2. A web address (URL) on the image:
Even free clipart sites that include the URL on the image, probably expect a link back to their site.
Each site has it's own terms and conditions which need to be read carefully before using their images.
3. A 'watermark':
This is usually an feint bit of text or a logo that renders the image unusable for commercial purposes, but asserts ownership.
4. A known character that is the trademarked property of the artist or a company:
(Could you guess I meant Garfield? Can't draw lasagne )
This means clip art of characters like the Simpsons or a Disney character are not free to use.
I'm going to now make another post about how to apply those guidelines to a site like Photobucket.
Last edited: