*** From the Archives ***

This article is from July 13, 2009, and is no longer current.

Safely Find and Use Images Via Google

In a July 9 blog post, Google software engineers Lance Huang and George Ruban quietly and calmly unveiled a change to Google’s Image Search that could save countless designers from violating image copyrights.
By checking a few boxes in the “Usage rights” section of the advanced image search page, you can now filter every image Google has ever indexed so that you see only files tagged with a license that allows re-use of the image.
Copyright-savvy designers know that a basic “OK to re-use” tag may not be enough when you want to use an image commercially. And what if you need to modify the image and then use it for commercial purposes? No problem — just select which level of usage rights you need in a drop-down menu, and Google will narrow the search even further.
The search engine recognizes images tagged with Creative Commons and GNU Free Documentation licenses, and those that are in the public domain.
Of course, as Huang and Ruban themselves point out, just because someone slaps a license on an image doesn’t mean that someone truly has the legal rights to do so. You’ll have to do some digging to verify the license’s accuracy. You’ll also have to abide by the restrictions imposed by the particular license; for example, some Creative Commons licenses state that you must include artist attribution. But at least you’re farther down the road toward doing the right thing than you were before!
Here’s what the process looks like:
1. Go to the advanced image search page. Fill out as many of the fields as you wish, but be sure select the appropriate choice in the Usage Rights dropdown menu.

2. Google will return search results that meet your criteria.

3. When you find one, you like, click on it.

  • Anonymous says:

    Great post. I came to know about this through Chuck Green of ideabook.com. Thank you for putting this.

  • Anonymous says:

    So if your a producer of images, what is the best way to convey that your image is copyrighted and is it possible for the image to contain a link so that rights and costs associated with use can be found?

  • Anonymous says:

    Thanks, Help keep me out of court.

  • Anonymous says:

    Thanks for the info but the Empire State sample image it´s not exactly a good sample. Even if the image it´s not under copyright the city as itself (New York) it is. New York city is under copyright and just a single photo published for commercial purpose must be notified first

  • Anonymous says:

    Great post. I love Google functionality, but got scared off from using it as an image search tool because it was hard to find the reuse info. This is extremely cool. Time to add this to my toolbox. Another site of image links that can be helpful (though I probably won’t use it as much now) is https://www.nicholascreative.com/stock-photo-resources.php – a short list of what I think are the best free image sources on the web.

    I’m very happy I stumbled across this today. Thanks!

  • Anonymous says:

    90% of the time no artist is named, you can’t enlarge the image, and the website starts at the top with no indication of where the image can be found.
    A search is all about information. THERE”S NO INFORMATION GIVEN. And a lot of time wasted thinking you can track it down, but finally going back to a regular search & just hoping the image turns up there.
    WHAT IS THE POINT?

  • Anonymous says:

    This is a great tool and reminds people they can’t just grab any images off the web. We use images all the time for our marketing clients and have to be sure they are copyright free! Thanks! https://www.michigancreative.org/

  • >