How Do I Give Copyrighted Image Credit?
When it comes to using visual content, being mindful of image credit is important. As a good image user, you should always ask for permission and follow the terms of use set by the owner.
It’s also important to understand copyright and fair use laws. This will help you know when it’s OK to use an image without credit or license.
Attribution Formats
Whether you are reposting a meme on your Facebook page or using an image that is licensed through Creative Commons, it is important to credit the author appropriately. This will help protect you from copyright infringement and potential legal action. In addition, it will ensure that your readers know where the image came from and where they can find more information about the author.
There are a variety of different attribution formats available, depending on the type of media and the style guide you follow. However, the most important thing is to be consistent and provide credit in a way that is easily traceable. It is also a good idea to include the author’s name in the caption for the image, if possible.
If you have accessed the image from a website, include the date of access and the full URL. If the image is available in a database, you should use the citation format provided by the database.
For example, if you are using an image from Yok University Libraries’ art and historical databases, you should cite the following:
When in doubt, it is best to research the copyright ownership or terms of use for an individual image to make sure that it can be used legally. It is always a good idea to contact the copyright owner or use a Creative Commons license to avoid any issues with image usage.
Copyright is a federal law that protects original works of authorship, including literary, written, dramatic, artistic and musical pieces. Even if the work is not marked with a copyright notice, it is protected under federal law. If you don’t obtain the permission of the copyright owner before using a work, you could be subject to a civil penalty or even a lawsuit.
When deciding whether or not to use an image, you should consider the reason for your usage and the effect on the author’s reputation. In many cases, you may be able to justify your use of the image under fair use. Fair use is a doctrine that allows you to infringe on the author’s rights for certain purposes, such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use) and scholarship.
CC License Formats
The different CC License formats allow for flexibility when using Creative Commons materials. Some of the most popular options include CC BY, CC BY-NC, and CC BY-ND. All CC items require crediting the author and a link to the license. Some items also contain restrictions on the creation of derivative works. This means that if you make a significant change to an image, such as cropping or color corrections, it is not allowed to use the image. This is to protect the integrity of the work.
CC BY-NC is a little more restrictive than CC BY, but still allows for non commercial use. This means that you can use the image for things like an invitation to a baby shower, but not if it is used in a commercial context, such as an advertisement for an auction.
Some CC images are also designated as being in the public domain. This does not mean that you can ignore copyright laws and just use the images freely, it simply means that you do not need to credit the creator as they have already waived their rights. For example, many paintings created before the 20th century are believed to be in the public domain, although this can depend on whether the artist or estate has claimed copyright.
To identify if a piece of media is under a CC license, you can check the bottom of the image. The image will show a small icon that indicates the CC license type. Alternatively, you can also use the advanced search option on Google to filter for CC and public domain images.
Regardless of the CC licensing terms, it is always good practice to cite your source when using an image or other form of media. At a minimum the citation should include the following information: Creator’s name (preferably including a link to their website or screen name), Title of the work, Source of the image (Full URL to the image source page or Database to track the image). In some cases it may be necessary to cite additional information such as the date the image was created.
CC Licensing FAQs
There are a lot of things to think about when choosing, using and citing Creative Commons photos, images and music. These licenses are a really useful and convenient way to find free-to-use, high quality images on the web (as opposed to paying for stock photo licences). However, they do come with some additional requirements that you should be aware of.
Most CC items require attribution, which must be formatted according to the specific CC license terms. Not giving credit, or doing it incorrectly, is considered copyright infringement and is not a good idea! It is also important to note that CC does not protect your use of trademarks, logos and other brand elements. You should always get permission for use of these elements and be aware that applying a CC license to your work could affect your trademark rights.
In addition, there are six different types of CC licenses that control how you may reuse the work and what your responsibilities are as a user. You can learn more about the different CC licenses on the Creative Commons website, including information about the attribution requirements and the rights that are attached to each.
For example, an image with a CC BY-SA license allows you to share and remix the work but requires that you give credit to the creator and that any new creations be licensed under the same terms. On the other hand, an image with a CC BY-NC license prevents you from making commercial use of the work and restricts the type of changes that you can make to the work.
It is important to understand the limitations of CC licenses so that you can avoid infringing copyright. For example, using an image with a CC BY-NC-ND license in a book you are creating for sale would be a violation of the terms of that license. This is because you are selling the work and thereby making it available for people to download and reproduce in ways that could infringe copyright.
As the internet has evolved, it is becoming more and more common for individuals to create, publish and distribute works that are subject to Creative Commons licenses. This has created a lot of opportunities for educators and students to source high quality educational resources online without having to pay licensing fees. It is important that teachers and students have an understanding of copyright, attribution and Creative Commons to take advantage of these opportunities in a safe and ethical manner.
Copyright FAQs
Copyright is a legal concept that protects original works of authorship. These include literary, written, dramatic, artistic, and musical works, as well as some other types of works, such as photographs and computer programs. It is important for Earlham faculty, staff, and students to understand how to comply with copyright law in order to use images they find on the internet. This page addresses common questions about copyright in an FAQ format and is intended to provide guidance for Earlham community members in light of US copyright law and the principles of Fair Use. These questions and answers do not constitute legal advice, and users should always seek the advice of a legal advisor for help with specific situations.
In many cases, you can avoid copyright infringement by using an image that is in the public domain or is licensed under a CC license. However, there are times when this may not be possible and you will need to seek permission. In these instances, you should make sure the purpose for which you want to use the image falls clearly within one of the categories protected by Fair Use. If not, you could face a lawsuit.
When seeking permission for an image, it is important to understand the four factors of Fair Use and how they apply to your situation. It is also helpful to remember that you have a stronger argument for Fair Use if you are critiquing or commenting on an existing work, if you are using the image for noncommercial purposes, or if you are using the image in a way that is transformative.
There are a number of online image databases that allow you to search for images by their CC license status. These sites are great places to find photos and other images for your projects. You can also filter your Google searches to only show Creative Commons or public domain works.