Pictures, websites and copyrights.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

While many people believe that using someone else’s picture is not stealing according to the federal copyright law it is.

Using someone else’s picture on your website (whether those are examples or not) even with proper credits is not paying a compliment to someone, and it’s not free advertisement for the other person, when you are using a picture without proper authorization you are breaking the law and here is what you should know about the law http://www.copyright.gov/title17/

First some FAQ

1# What define a copyright owner?

According to the Federal Copyright Act of 1976, 17 U.S.C.cq., a copyright comes into existence automatically at the moment a photograph is taken; thereby the copyright belongs to the photographer.

2# I want to create my website and I ran across some pictures on the web can I use them on my website?

No you cannot unless you either have the written permission for the owner or you purchased the picture from websites such as http://www.istockphoto.com , http://www.shutterstock.com, http://www.gettyimages.com which allow you to buy and royalty free images that can be used on your website (rules still apply on how the image can be used)

3# Can I post someone else’s picture on my website if I give them full credit?

No you cannot even with full credit it is still not enough, a written permission allowing you to use the picture(s) should be obtained from the original copyright owner.

4# What if I hotlink the picture of the breeder on my website?

It still makes no difference except that on the top of using a picture without proper permission you are now also stealing bandwidth.

5# So what can I do if I want to use someone’s picture?

You can ask for the permission, buy it from websites that sell royalty free stock images or you can place a link to the original picture on your website.

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Generally speaking if someone ask me to use some of my pictures (and it has happen) I will give them the permission of course it will largely depends on how the picture is to be used, however there is nothing that annoys me most than someone using my picture without asking first and in that case I will not hesitate to contact the web hosting company and have the picture(s) removed.

How can you discourage people from using YOUR pictures on their website or use them to scam others?

It does not have to cost money to do so, there is free software that will allow you to easily copyright your pictures and do so in bulk http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showt...r-pictures-DIY

Just remember a watermark placed in a corner like this will not do much as it can easily be erase or crop out with something as simple as the paint software found on any computer.

Now it’s there



Now it’s not



Those will be far more effective and you can of course choose the opacity in which you want your watermark to appear.