Comments on: The Google Image Search Clipart Ad Blunder

By: Q. I’ve assumed that if Google lets me copy and paste images, that it is copyright-free. Is that true? « Writing Without Waffle

Wed, 01 Jun 2011 14:41:59 +0000

[...] This article gives more background and there is more useful info here. [...]

By: cybele

cybele — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 05:47:07 +0000

Donna, this is one article on a site that covers this topic extensively. Jonathan has covered fair use extensively in other articles. (I do agree that Google Image Search has contributed greatly to image infringement.)

By: Donna Barstow

Donna Barstow — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 09:10:43 +0000

I'm surprised you didn't add that the way Google uses images breaks the DMCA. They use the whole image, instead of part of it (like text), and as you said, they say the image MAY be protected by copyright. By law for the last 50 years, everytime an image is created, the creator automatically has copyrighted it.I hope you have Fair Use explained somewhere on the site – almost no use of an image is Fair Use except perhaps works of art in a gallery or museum.Also, there is a Java script that breaks the frame – and the viewer goes directly to the website. (although this takes about half a second.)

By: Robert

Robert — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 09:43:01 +0000

When you first posted this, I was seeing Google Images for the "clip art" and "clipart" searches too. It was coming up with some regularity. Now, I get Bing all the time.If anyone thinks this is a coincidence or an accident, think again. Google is well-known for intervening manually in its search results when something embarrassing occurs. And whenever possible, they try to make their competition (or the person complaining) look stupid.It would be nice if they took some real action against copyright infringements instead of just shifting the focus or the blame around. Here's a prime example: Try searching for a CD or a DVD or a new movie or a book. How many times does Google suggest "torrent" or "rapidshare" or any of a host of ways of stealing intellectual property. EVERY TIME.In Google's view, the only intellectual property that is worth protecting is its own patents. They think everything should be available under fair use, and they use the safe harbor provisions of the DMCA to defend themselves. It's a huge loophole for companies like Google. Unfortunately, it's a necessary one, too, which makes it very difficult to challenge. Google knows this, and Google exploits it to the point where I feel that they often flaunt their invincibility in the faces of those who create content of any kind.If anyone thinks it will be any different once they get their hands on a bunch of copyright-protected, but out-of-print books, think again. Once Google turns those things loose, there's no getting them back, and authors are going to earn next to nothing for their efforts.

By: Jonathan Bailey

Jonathan Bailey — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:31:00 +0000

Please do, that'll be interesting to look at and very worrisome on that front as well. Thanks for the heads up!

By: Jonathan Bailey

Jonathan Bailey — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:30:21 +0000

Sadly, that doesn't help too much when the image gets bought and then used on another site and picked up in Google there. That image will not have the watermark.The watermark is a good step, especially since stock photo sites do seem to be ranking highly in Google Images, but it has to be weighed against whether the customers will be frustrated or confused by it and what actual good it will do. Watermarking is a good step, but Google will still have to do something as most instances of the image won't have it.

By: cybele

cybele — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 16:25:11 +0000

I wasn't able to duplicate your result, but something similar. I got an ad for Bing for Cartoon Clip Art (link goes to Bing with a search for Cartoon Clip Art without any notation of copyright/licenses). I can send you a screengrab if you want.

By: Clipart Guy

Clipart Guy — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:59:55 +0000

What do you think stock photo agencies should do to deter Google image users from using the images for free? http://www.ImageEnvision.com/ added "no free use allowed" to their watermarks.