{"id":580,"date":"2017-09-15T15:09:39","date_gmt":"2017-09-15T15:09:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.orangewebsite.com\/articles\/?p=580"},"modified":"2025-12-29T02:29:26","modified_gmt":"2025-12-29T02:29:26","slug":"how-to-protect-your-images","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.orangewebsite.com\/articles\/how-to-protect-your-images\/","title":{"rendered":"The Serious Business of Guarding the Images Used on Your Website"},"content":{"rendered":"

How To Protect Your Images<\/strong><\/h1>\n<\/div><\/div>
\"How<\/span><\/div>

For those of us who have lived through the early, \u201cWild West\u201d days of the internet, we can recall the frequent lawlessness of the experience. It was not uncommon at all to come across \u201csharing\u201d websites for the distribution of music, images, films, software, and other intellectual property without authorization of the rightful owners. This was, and continues to be, theft, pure and simple. It didn't take long for lawyers to get involved. Courts quickly agreed that online intellectual theft is no different from stealing someone's car. Companies from software producers to movie production houses began pursuing those they suspected were guilty of it.<\/p>\n

While such dark places are still available online, more and more companies and individuals are taking steps to protect themselves. This includes those involved in the construction of websites. After all, if you've taken the time to make sure a website was designed and constructed using completely legal and authorized images, or more importantly, if you created the images or took the photography yourself, you don't want someone else coming along and taking them. It's not quite the \u201cWild West\u201d it once was but it is still a significant problem and serious business. There are ways, however, of protecting yourself and your images.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>

Where to Start?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

You can start by seeing if you have a problem with stolen images. This can simply be accomplished by typing the name of any images you use\u00a0into\u00a0the Google image search. Some who \u201cborrow\u201d images or graphics, however, know they can lessen their chances of being caught by changing the name of the image file. The Google image search may not turn up your photo or image. You can search for more generic names that may fit your image if you are inclined to investigate further.<\/p>\n

In a Google image search, seeing the image as used on your site should be expected but if it is an original image you created or a photo you have taken and someone else is using it without your knowledge, it can be a problem. This is likely because you did not take the necessary steps to protect it.<\/p>\n

Now, you may say to yourself \u201cHey, but isn't that like blaming me for not locking my house and allowing someone to steal my property?\u201d Perhaps. But let's also just add that it is always better to make sure your house is locked, to begin with. In this case, let's make sure your images are as safe as possible.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>

Better Protecting Your Images<\/strong><\/h2>\n

You can take steps to protect your images, but just as locking the door on your house won't prevent someone from entering your home, most steps just make it tougher for an image theft to occur. Here are some of the more common steps you can take in protecting your images online.<\/p>\n