You’ve heard the adage that a picture is worth a thousand words. When it comes to your website, that’s especially true. But when that picture is under copyright protection, it could mean a considerable financial cost. In fact, you could receive an invoice from the owner asking for payment for having used the image.
Great images and photography capture a reader’s attention. But any image you find on the Internet isn’t up for grabs. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) offers powerful options for a copyright owner to protect his or her works in the online space.
When posting images to your website, be sure that you either own them or they are explicitly labeled free for use. If not, you could get a hefty bill in the mail from the copyright owner.
By dropping an image into your website and hitting “publish,” you may be opening a large can of worms. So dot your I’s and cross your T’s before adding imagery to your website.