If you are checking the current content on your website or considering updating it, please remember to ensure you have the correct license/authority to do so.
It happens that people will find the image they are looking for, probably via Google, save it, and use it on their website. But, this can come back and bite you!
There is no obligation for the owners of images to state copyright or © on their images. It is the users’ responsibility to ensure a valid license is/is not required before using the imagery. Equally, if you have used a company to create your website, the responsibility still sits with you to allow your images to be used or give permission for use.
If you have not been granted permission to use a particular image/s, then you may receive a letter threatening legal action if a sum of money isn’t paid. Whilst it may seem harmless or you may not believe it to be from a legitimate source, don’t just dismiss it straight away.
Images can be protected under intellectual property, which means the owner of those images places a charge for them to be used. So, if you have simply copied from the internet, you are likely not to have permission/license to use the images which means the owners are coming for money!
Compensation will be requested as well as a license fee. The fee depends on the image/s used, and this cost will vary.
Companies use software to find where their images are being used, and this is how and why you would then receive a letter.
You will either need to remove the image, pay the fee…or both!

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