Keep it Legal

I came across an excellent blog this week on “How to Use Google Images Without Getting Sued” from Jessica Dobias.  The article and accompanying video highlighted some of the advantages of Gooogle Images Advance Search. This is slightly harder to find now Google has introduced instant prediction but it is still available here.

In addition to allowing you to search for the normal:

  • All these works
  • The  exact word or phrase
  • any of these words
  • or, none of these words

The search will allow you to narrow your results by:

  • image size
  • aspect ratio including tall, wide ,square, etc
  • colors in the image
  • type of image including face, clip art, photo and  line drawing
  • region
  • File type including jpg, bmp and pgn, which is designed to replace gifs.

Most important of all however is the search will allow you to take advantage of the usage rights filters to find images you can reuse, share, or modify. So keeping your own web page or blog legal

Images can be searched as follows:

  • No filtered by licence
  • Free to use or share
  • Free to use or share, even commercially
  • Free to use share or modify, even commercially

According to Google your results will only include images labeled with a license that allows you to copy and/or modify the image in ways specified in the license.

  • Labeled for commercial reuse

 Your results will only include images labeled with a license that allows you to copy the image for commercial purposes, in ways specified in the license.

  • Labeled for reuse with modification

 Your results will only include images labeled with a license that allows you to copy and modify the image in ways specified in the license.

  • Labeled for commercial reuse with modification

 Your results will only include images labeled with a license that allows you to copy the image for commercial purposes and modify it in ways specified in the license.

A similar feature is also available for web pages.  So can I wish you happy and legal searching.