Posting Images/Hotlinks - Don't Do It

Textkit is a learning community- introduce yourself here. Use the Open Board to introduce yourself, chat about off-topic issues and get to know each other.
Post Reply
User avatar
Jeff Tirey
Administrator
Posts: 896
Joined: Wed Aug 14, 2002 6:58 pm
Location: Strongsville, Ohio

Posting Images/Hotlinks - Don't Do It

Post by Jeff Tirey »

Hello Textkitters,

I must please ask that everyone refrain from posting images in their posts and signatures, including using hotlinks IF the image is not your own.

Textkit recently concluded a legal dispute with Getty Images where we were accused of copyright violations. At issue was an image which was hot-linked by a Textkit forum member and this image was a copyright protected Getty image. The forum has over 100K pages and it's impossible for us to see what's going on. Nevertheless, Getty images has a web crawler at work and this crawler found the image.

Fortunately for us, my wife is a patent attorney and she was able to secure pro bono legal help from a Cleveland patent law firm. We got the issue resolved, but this took several months and several hours of time from my wife and the law firm. Getty wanted Textkit to pay an incredible high bill for 'damages' from a single image.

Again, if it is not YOUR image, don't post it. I understand how harmless it may seem to post an image already found on the Interent, but it can and did cause some unwanted headaches for us.

thank you for your understanding.

Jeff
Textkit Founder

Bedell
Textkit Neophyte
Posts: 78
Joined: Sun Dec 23, 2007 8:00 pm
Location: Hibernia

Re: Posting Images/Hotlinks - Don't Do It

Post by Bedell »

Sorry to hear you have been put through the Crap Mill on our behalf. :(

Anyway, I'll take this opportunity to thank you for hosting Textkit. I have derived incalculable benefit from it over the years.
nothing should arouse more suspicion than a cross-party consensus - Antidemocritus fl. 2010

User avatar
Jeff Tirey
Administrator
Posts: 896
Joined: Wed Aug 14, 2002 6:58 pm
Location: Strongsville, Ohio

Re: Posting Images/Hotlinks - Don't Do It

Post by Jeff Tirey »

No worries. Textkit is nearly 15 years old and things like this are bound to happen.
Textkit Founder

Victor
Textkit Fan
Posts: 253
Joined: Fri Sep 13, 2013 1:19 am

Re: Posting Images/Hotlinks - Don't Do It

Post by Victor »

Yes, sorry to hear about that, Jeff. A web search of "Getty Images Suing You For Copyright Infringement Over Photos For Blog?" shows just how prolific Getty's activities in this department are.

User avatar
Jeff Tirey
Administrator
Posts: 896
Joined: Wed Aug 14, 2002 6:58 pm
Location: Strongsville, Ohio

Re: Posting Images/Hotlinks - Don't Do It

Post by Jeff Tirey »

Yes, they are very busy. But in the case with Textkit they were fair and easy to work with once we explained the situation, it just takes time and energy to coordinate a response and go through the hoops.
Textkit Founder

daivid
Administrator
Posts: 2744
Joined: Sat Jul 16, 2011 1:51 pm
Location: ὁ τοῦ βασιλέως λίθος, London, Europe
Contact:

Re: Posting Images/Hotlinks - Don't Do It

Post by daivid »

Jeff Tirey wrote: Again, if it is not YOUR image, don't post it. I understand how harmless it may seem to post an image already found on the Interent, but it can and did cause some unwanted headaches for us.
Ouch! It never occurred to me that that could be a problem - but now I know. Sorry for the trouble caused to you.
λονδον

User avatar
Jeff Tirey
Administrator
Posts: 896
Joined: Wed Aug 14, 2002 6:58 pm
Location: Strongsville, Ohio

Re: Posting Images/Hotlinks - Don't Do It

Post by Jeff Tirey »

I have to say, ALL of you are so kind to care about this. I am really touched because it's so clear to me, once more, how Textkitters are a great group of people. I wish I knew you all better. https://www.facebook.com/jeff.tirey
Textkit Founder

User avatar
bedwere
Global Moderator
Posts: 5098
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 10:23 pm
Location: Didacopoli in California
Contact:

Re: Posting Images/Hotlinks - Don't Do It

Post by bedwere »

I will comply for sure to avoid the repeating of such an ordeal for Jeff, but I think that Getty's conduct is outrageous. I'll never donate to them a single penny.

User avatar
Σαυλος
Textkit Fan
Posts: 240
Joined: Mon Jan 07, 2013 2:47 pm

Re: Posting Images/Hotlinks - Don't Do It

Post by Σαυλος »

Sorry about this, Jeff. We have used image linking to great effect here on Textkit. It was done for educational purposes and displayed to a very limited audience. I'm surprised Getty bothered. But, it's their right.

You said we should only post images that we own. How about images in the public domain? I assume they would be okay to post, but tell me if I'm wrong.
  • Here is a string a person could paste into a Google Image search box. Hit enter and the results will be ONLY public domain images relating to "jacket." To search for something else, just change the word "jacket."
    • site:morguefile.com OR stockvault.net OR unprofound.com OR publicdomainpictures.net OR pixabay.com OR publicphoto.org OR photos-public-domain.com OR 4freephotos.com OR arspublik.com OR mypublicdomainpictures.com OR 1millionfreepictures.com OR totallyfreeimages.com OR public-domain-photos.com jacket
    I created this list by viewing dozens of public domain image sites. I included only those sites which clearly state that they 1) only have public domain images on their site, 2) require nothing regarding licensing, not even crediting the site.

    For example, I left out this site:

    • www.publicdomainfiles.com - “To help cover the cost of hosting our site, we do include "sponsored files" in our search results. Sponsored filess are provided by 3rd party companies, and may require payment or registration to use the file.”
I will babble until I talk. ετι λαλαγω...

User avatar
Jeff Tirey
Administrator
Posts: 896
Joined: Wed Aug 14, 2002 6:58 pm
Location: Strongsville, Ohio

Re: Posting Images/Hotlinks - Don't Do It

Post by Jeff Tirey »

Public domain images are certainly ok too, but you'll have to know for certain that is the case.

thanks,
Jeff
Textkit Founder

User avatar
bedwere
Global Moderator
Posts: 5098
Joined: Fri Mar 07, 2008 10:23 pm
Location: Didacopoli in California
Contact:

Re: Posting Images/Hotlinks - Don't Do It

Post by bedwere »

To play safe, I recommend Wikimedia Commons

User avatar
Jeff Tirey
Administrator
Posts: 896
Joined: Wed Aug 14, 2002 6:58 pm
Location: Strongsville, Ohio

Re: Posting Images/Hotlinks - Don't Do It

Post by Jeff Tirey »

That is a nice resource - thanks for sharing.

Jeff
Textkit Founder

Post Reply