Understanding Online Photo Copyrights

Physical property

Original works and intellectual property

Public domain images

Social media posts

Receiving a warning email

Paying compensatory damages

Getting a free license

Receiving a public domain mark

By checking if it has a watermark

By using the "Labeled for Reuse" filter in Google Image search

By downloading it directly from the search results

By assuming all images are free to use

Public domain images require attribution, Creative Commons images do not

Creative Commons images are always free, public domain images are not

Public domain images do not require permission for use, Creative Commons images may have usage stipulations

Creative Commons images are older than public domain images

Download and use it without permission

Assume it's free to use if it doesn't have a copyright symbol

Send a direct message to the owner asking for permission

Use it only if it has a Creative Commons license