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Getty Images, the world's largest photo agency, made 35 million of its images — including pictures of John F Kennedy, Barack Obama and David Beckham — available for free via an embed feature, in an effort to combat piracy and unauthorized use of its images across the internet.
The embed feature lets blogs and Twitter accounts use its images free of charge, without a watermark, via a code that links back to Getty's website and credits the photographer.
Why Getty Made This Change
Getty said it chose to make images free to use because thousands were already being used illegally and without attribution on blogs and social accounts. "Our content was everywhere already," said Craig Peters, a business development executive at Getty at the time. "If you want to get a Getty image today, you can find it without a watermark very simply."
Because free usage depends on embedding the code (similar to embedding a YouTube video or tweet), Getty retains more control over the images than if they were downloaded directly — and may be able to monetize them in the future through embedded ads or data collection.
Can Commercial Blogs Use Free Getty Images?
According to Getty's terms, embedded images may only be used for "editorial purposes" (relating to newsworthy or public interest events) and may not be used for any commercial purpose — advertising, promotions, merchandising, or to suggest endorsement or sponsorship. The presence of ads on a site doesn't automatically make use of an embedded image commercial; the key factor is whether the image is used to directly promote a business, product, or service.
Why This Matters for Your Store's Content
If you're sourcing images for blog content, understanding licensing terms like these protects you from copyright issues down the line. For product photography and marketing images specifically, licensed or custom photography remains the safer choice, since promotional use typically requires a paid license regardless of the source.
Related reading:
- Guide to Website Image Design and Sizing Guidelines
- Product Packaging Guide to Drive Sales and Loyalty