Austin_Website_DesignAs the old phrase goes, a picture is worth a thousand words, which is also true with web images. Pictures are a crucial component to Austin website design because of the way in which they draw a visitor’s attention and interest; however, such usage can also cause legal concerns when improperly handled.

Accessibility

The internet has millions of photos that can be copied with the click of a button. Somehow this has created a misconception that all web pictures are free; unfortunately this is not true.

While some photos can be be freely used, most require more than a copy-and-paste before being legally posted on a website. A person who used originally photographed them took the time and effort to capture certain images; therefore, it is only proper that some kind of incentive be derived from them or at the very least be allowed to set the rules on their usage.

Rules

So what does it take to legally use a photo from the internet? This can vary greatly as referenced below.

  • Owner – Each copyright owner has different requirements for use of their material. Some require the user to pay a certain fee for a license to use that picture for a certain period of time and only for a particular application.
  • Stock Libraries – Stock libraries only require a small one-time payment to use royalty-free photos, providing a user unlimited usage of the picture. With royalty-free photos, it is important to clearly state how the image will be used such as commercially or non-commercially, as there are different licenses for various uses.
  • Creative Commons License – Some photos like the ones on websites like Flickr are made available by owners under a Creative Commons license, which means that they are available for anyone to use. Some owners do require back-links to the source of the picture as an incentive.

Randomly copying images from other websites and using them on another one can be a huge mistake. If one of those images is copyrighted and used without an owner’s permission, the very least that could happen is for the owner demanding it be removed or payment made to use it. The worst that could happen would be for legal action to be taken, for which the user could end paying unknown damages.

Copyright Concerns

As a rule of thumb, an Austin website design company would determine a picture’s status before using it online. If finding a free picture is the goal, then look on the internet for those agencies that specialize in offering free photos such as Flicker.com, istockphoto.com, and openphoto.net. In most cases, an owner will require users to include a back-link to the source’s page as an incentive.

Be cautious about using free images for commercial purposes which would be using the material to make money in any fashion. Some owners of free images limit usage to non-commercial purposes. Using them beyond would be a breach of contract and could result in legal issues.

In summary, images are an important visual component for Austin website design. Before using one, it is important to be cautious about its source. Using copyrighted material including photo, without an owner’s permission could have legal implications!

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