“Free” Images? You’d Better Check the Terms of Service

Some new guidelines have come to our attention about the “free images” on sites such as Canva, PicMonkey, and Snappa. These sites (and others) have recently updated their Terms of Service. Since many churches and organizations make use of free sites, it’s important you understand the changing rules. What I learned has some significant applications for how you and your church can legally use images. Read More

Whatever you do, do NOT use Getty images without have obtained Getty's written permission and having paid Getty's requisite fees. Getty will pursue you to the ends of the earth for its pound of flesh, make you take down the image, charge you for the entire time that you used it, and take you to court if you do not pay up. Getty has a search engine that tracks down Getty images that are being used without Getty's permission. If I am not sure who holds a copyright to an image, I do an image search. If Getty holds the copyright, I do not use it. Ignorance that Getty is the copyright holder is not considered a permissible excuse for the accidental use of one of Getty's images. Getty also has an excellent selection of high-quality images.