Copyright compliance request

[Danger]

If Getty is adamant in protecting their interest, property rights and etc, in such a distasteful manner, then don't we as designers and users of images have an obligation to determine the copyright and legal use of images we intend to use?  Nobody want their clients (or themselves) to receive a Getty letter.

With the billion of images available on the internet, what method do I have to determine if the image I intend to use is copyright protected or not; therefore, every image with any intent of use should be sent to Getty with a request to determine potential copyright infringement.

When Getty takes such heavy steps to "protect" then, to avoid violating their "rights" we need to take extra measures to insure compliance.

So, I'm hoping that a person with a legal background would be able to create a geriatric Copyright Compliance Request letter which we could email to Getty requesting they review the attached (million) images.

Dan

P.S. Be sure to state the following "Validation must be received within 14 days of this email."

[Robert Krausankas (BuddhaPi)]

not going to work..plain and simple. Getty does not own copyright to every image, unless you plan on sending the letter to EVERY stock image site, and every photographer in the world...

to answer your question.... "then don't we as designers and users of images have an obligation to determine the copyright and legal use of images we intend to use? " yes we do, purchase them legally, take your own pictures, keep records of every transaction and keep RAW files, ect...

[Danger]

Silly man, you missed the concept. The idea is to submerge Getty with request to validate.

[Robert Krausankas (BuddhaPi)]

yea I actually thought of that after I posted...poor mail clerks would be buried, and we'd be serving a dual purpose...keeping the post office in business and secure some jobs at GI, thus stimulating the economy.. 

[Crying-out-Loud]

Did anyone think about sending cease & desist letters to domaintools.com and similar websites as they show alleged copyrighted material (historical screen shots) of virtually every website on the internet? 

[Oscar Michelen]

Getty has no obligation to validate anything and the letter will be put in the trash. It is the person who intends to use the work to make sure they have a valid license or permission to use the image and no one else's obligation. Pay for the image outright from a legitimate vendor; secure a license from a legitimate licensing agent; or take it yourself - those are your options.  If you don't you risk getting a letter from Getty or Corbis or Masterfile etc. The days of "If its on the internet it must be free" ARE OVER.