Getty Images accuses Google: promotes piracy photos

Google would promote piracy photos, indexing and enabling the download of high-resolution images that are subject to copyright. E 'This, in short, the central core of the prosecution that the US photo agency Getty Images has turned to the search giant, and that has resulted in a formal complaint at the European Union antitrust authorities. A new headache for Bigg, already the subject of a European antitrust investigation for alleged abuse of a dominant position.

The merits of the case focuses on the content and methods of image indexing that Google put in the results of its search engine. Getty Images stresses that Google displays full-screen galleries of high-res images subject to copyright. An activity that harms both the system of granting licensed content, which is the photo agency's core business, is all creators of pictures and images that locate in the Getty Images a valuable distribution channel and protection of investment.

The function referenced by Getty Images - galleries full screen - was introduced for the first time in 2013; previously, the Google's image search engine showed only small thumbnail and it is the size of one of the elements responsible for the damages produced photo agency activity that told TIME:

there is little incentive to display the image on the original site after it has been displayed in high resolution on Google

The act of Getty Images accusation goes further and takes on the subject of piracy of pictures, starting from the fact that the high-resolution images are not only viewable, but also freely downloadable via the search engine:

Making these images available for download, Google has also promoted piracy, resulting in widespread copyright infringement and trasfromazione users' accidental pirates

Getty Images is explicit in stating that Google's behavior was harming the many photojournalists and content creators who have chosen to distribute them via the photo agency, but Google's modus operandi can potentially harm anyone who chooses to publish on the web photos and images.

Getty Images represents over 200,000 photojournalists, content creators and artists around the world who rely on us to protect their ability to be compensated for their work. Google's behavior has a negative impact not only on our employees, but also on the lives and livelihoods of artists around the world, now and in the future.

Getty Images The request is simple (to say): We must return to give to the search function the role that is right without using it as a tool that can conflict with the work done by the publishers:

We want Google to return search that works as a research and not research as a substitute for publishers

The conflict between Getty Images and Google is not new: in fact, the controversy goes on for three years. The only solution proposed by Google was, in fact, an either, says Yoko Miyashita, general counsel for Getty Images: unconditionally accept the model proposed indexing of images or give up to be among the results of Google searches.

The case is not limited to the relationship between Getty Images and Google, but applies to the entire field of photography (digital). The word goes European antitrust authority that will determine whether the two can exist either-or a third way and, before that, if Google's behavior is or is not respectful of the rules.