A lot of people still think that they will never be caught with stolen images from a website. But, is that really true? They think, “How will anyone know that I’m using their image?”. There are actually a few ways that someone can prove that you’re using their image. Here, we will be talking about some of these and how you can keep yourself from getting caught with stolen images.
Am I really Stealing Anything?
We live in a time when a lot of stuff gets done over the internet. When it comes to the internet, content is everywhere you look. It is an important commodity which took someone time and money to create. There are rules for using this content for any purpose, and you are liable of taking permission and giving credit where due. If you’re simply copying and pasting from the internet without looking for the licensing terms and without giving credit, then you probably have stolen images.
Web Browsers and Alt Tags
Many websites still include alt tags with images. When you download an image and use it in your presentation or a PDF, the alt tag is included with the image. Having an image with a matching Alt tag and no permission, is a very strong proof that those are stolen images.
But, Alt Tags Are Rare These Days
Alt tags used to be included with images in the past. But, what happens when you download an image now? These days, images usually contain the website address as metadata. So, if you downloaded the image from a website, it probably contains the original URL. This makes it very obvious where the image came from. It not only applies to PowerPoint presentations but also to other types of documents.
So, How Do We Avoid Getting Caught With Stolen Images?
Its simple, we avoid using them in the first place. You won’t need to use ” stolen images ” if you have free images. There are many websites that you can use to find free images. you can even use google image search and filter images to find free images quickly and easily. After you obtain the image, check its license, and give credit for using it. Look at the end of this article to see how we give credit. To read many great ways to find free images, please read a previous article we’ve written by clicking here.
Good Luck 🙂
Image Courtesy:
Crackers by elhombredenegro [CC BY 2.0] via flickr
Leave a Reply