The Scourge Of Online Image Theft [Infographic]

From clickbait articles, to generated memes, to personal Pinterest accounts, image theft is everywhere. Whether we like it or not, an internet connection has made the business of stolen content a lucrative one. So how do content creators and photographers protect their work when Google image search is just a click away? 

For many artists and photographers, a watermark is one of the best ways to avoid theft. A symbol, signature, or logo, overlaying the image in question is often enough to deter a would be thief as not everyone has the time or skills to edit a watermark out. Nearly 90% of photographers had watermarked images stolen in 2016, and almost 70% had those watermarks removed. 

Just because you find an image on Google, doesn’t mean it belongs to you. Take a look at this infographic for more on the business of stolen images and how you can protect yourself, and your content, from theft.