Skip to content 
Image Copyright Laws
Image copyright laws have been passed to protect the creators of the images. The internet showcases many beautiful, compelling, and eye-catching images. It can be tempting to use them for your personal or professional gain. However, most of the images you find online are not available for use without the expressed permission or license from the copyright owner.
What is the Copyright Act?
According to the United States Copyright Office, the Copyright Act “protects a wide variety of photographic works. This category includes photographs that are created with a camera and captured in a digital file or other visual medium such as film.”
How does the Copyright Act help Creators?
This means that the image creator has the legal ownership of an image. This level of ownership is automatic. Copyright exists no matter what! When a creator creates the image, whether they register it or not, their work is automatically copyrighted for their use.
All types of visual arts are subject to copyright. They might include any of the following:
- Charts
- Digital art
- Infographics
- Maps
- Paintings
- Photographs
Copyright Around the World
Over 181 countries are members of the Berne Convention, which sets basic copyright standards. With having so many countries as a part of this, copyrights are applied to imagery throughout many parts of the world. Therefore, creators can feel assured that their work will be protected in many places.
Social Media and Images
Social media content with images has proven to get the most attention and engagement. If you don’t have the tools, resources, or time to generate your own images for your social media channels, it is important to know the ins and outs of image copyrights.
If you need help with your social media graphics, please get in touch with me as I would love to help.
Got a Project in Mind?
I collaborate with innovative brands to create cutting-edge digital experiences.
Let’s connect!
