Introduction

In the first part of this series, we explained how to use Google Reverse Image search to authenticate whether an image is original or not. We hope you found it very useful. That is an important way to fight image plagiarism. In this part, we will explain another important way to fight image plagiarism - taking free images where they are licenced for free. Befor we list the sites, here is something you need to know about image usage rights.

Images online - Free versus paid

We can categorize images you find online based on the usage rights attached to them. When you do a Google search for images, you will discover thousands of images listed. However, a great number of them are not licensed for free usage. Most of them are copyrighted images, meaning that you must obtain permission from the owners before you use them. Some of these images are owned by organizations that are not into commercial image sales. For this types of images, you must put the URL of the source when you use them in your blogs. When you wish to use them in printed form, you need to obtain permission from the owners. However, there is a second category of commercial images that you are not allowed to use in your online publications. Lets briefly talk about them below

Some organizations are into the business of making and selling high resolution images. For these types of organizations, you cannot use any of their images in your posts even if you are to put the source. The reason is simple- the only usage right for their images is when you buy them. So its not just allowed or enough to put the source URL for the image if you get them from an organization that sales its images. Below is a list of some organizations you are not allowed to use their images unless you bought them:

• Shutterstock
• istock by getty images
• Dreamstime
• Gettyimages
• 123RF
• Alamy

So the sites listed above are selling their images. That is the only usage rights allowed. Sometimes, they can offer limited number of free images when you sign up for the first time. Apart from that, their images are 100% for sale. You are not allowed to use in your posts even when you put the source.

Note: These sites usually cover their images with their logo or brand name water marks. They put the watermarks so that you will not be able to use the image. You must pay to have the watermarks removed.

Get free Images from these 8 sites

While there are paid image sites, there are still sites where you can get professionally edited images for free. When you get images from these sites, you are allowed to use them with or without putting the source. They sites are:

• Pixabay
• Pexels
• Unsplash
• Stockvault
• Rawpixel
• Reshot
• Pikwizard
• Picjumbo

Important Note: While you are free to use images from the above sites free, a great way to acknowledge other content creators effort is to attribute them. So you can still put the source of images you got from these sites. But if you choose not to, you are still right and free to do so.

Conclusion

One of the ways we fight plagiarism is through education. That is why these two series presentation will help our members always to use images well within their rights. Always make your own images if you can. But if you must use external images, ensure that you are free to use them. Take images from royalty free sites. Or be sure to put sources of your images if they are not for free. And remember never to use copyrighted images from commercial image organizations.

Subscribe:::Discord.
:::Telegram :::join trail