How To Find A Copyright Free Image On Google?
Looking for copyright-free images? Here, we will tell you how to find the “correct” image that can be used for free for commercial use, and the knowledge of the license required at that time.
Many people mistake the word “copyright-free” for “materials that can be used for free”, and it may be illegal to search Google images with that intention and use the found images for blogging.
Blogs that use illegal images can not only be subject to complaints, but can also question your business literacy.
In fact, the word “copyright-free” is used openly on marketing company websites and lawyer websites, which can be quite disappointing.
By reading this article, you will be able to recognize the license and select images with confidence.
So, let’s see how to find a copyright free image on Google.
◆ Why you shouldn’t search for images with “copyright-free”?
There are many blogs that often introduce “commercial free! Copyright-free image site”, but it is not always free to use = copyright-free. (Strictly speaking, it is likely to be wrong)
In reality, there are not many sites that distribute copyright-free = copyright-waived works. Many people confuse this with usage rights-free.
You can use it freely = the right to use it is free .
Copyright-free = copyright abandoned .
Right-free and copyright-free have completely different meanings.
Even for images that are free to use, the copyright remains unless otherwise stated. Copyright is not free.
Copyright is a legal and property right that “exclusively uses a work that creatively expresses one’s thoughts and feelings.”
In other words, it is a right that you can use what you make exclusively and do not let others use it without permission.
The point is that it is not only the right to “not let others use it without permission” but also the right to allow others to use it “conditionally let many people use it and make use of it” .
The license of the material that “you can use it freely under certain conditions” is free to use. However, even in that case, the copyright is not abandoned unless it is marked as “copyright-free”. Therefore, it is not copyright-free.
◆ Search for images in “Public Domain” and “Creative Commons Zero (CC0)” instead of copyright-free
There are two ways to look for “copyright-free” images that are not really copyrighted.
- Search in a non-illegal image distribution site.
- I wonder if I will search with this word below.
- Public domain
The public domain is a state in which a copyrighted work has no copyright (intellectual property right), and the property right does not belong to anyone and is shared throughout society. Works whose copyright protection period has expired, and those whose rights have expired 50 years after death.
- Creative Commons Zero (CC0)
Creative Commons Zero (CC0) has no copyright like the public domain.
CC0 is an active waiver of rights by the author, while the public domain is spontaneous, such as when the protection period has expired .
Creative Commons is a general term for international non-profit organizations and their projects. It is an activity to advocate a new form for easier use of copyrighted works while respecting copyrights.
By linking to the license page (commons certificate) of your choice, the rules allow the user to see the terms of use at a glance. What is Creative Commons Zero (CC0) without copyright? , Is one of the licenses in it.
CC0 has a rule to fill the metadata in the photo material, so you can search it.
◆ (Copyright-free) How to find Creative Commons Zero images?
Google Image Search has the ability to sort by license, so once you’ve learned the correct non-copyrighted license, let’s do it!
- Enter keywords with Google image search
- Click “Search Tool”> “License” in the menu.
Search results will appear, but don’t download here!
- See the choices in the license
Do not filter by license.
Images that are allowed to be reused after modification.
Images allowed for reuse.
Images allowed to be reused for non-commercial purposes after modification.
Images allowed for non-commercial reuse.
-Images that are allowed to be reused after modification-Images that are allowed to be reused.
Choose either.
I may cut out or edit it, so I will call it “after modification”.
- Check the terms of the website where the selected image is posted.
The atmosphere of the work changed immediately. Public domain and CC0 are like this. Here, suppress the place you want to download as it is , and check the terms of the place where the selected image is posted.
If you click on the selected image, you will find the URL of the website where it will be posted.
“Pixabay.com” is a creative commons zero image distribution site. Let’s actually see and check the terms of use. Click on the enlarged photo or title.
Basically, do not select the “related image” surrounded by the blue frame in the above image. It may contain something that has nothing to do with the filtered license.
- Check license information
If you look at the page, you will find the license information on the immediate right.
CC0 and public domain are listed together. “No attribution required” means that the author’s credit is not required. Now you can see that you can use the image as it is.
In this way, for example, if the terms of the site you found match, you can search on this site from the next time.
According to the terms of AIX, the material is uploaded to Pixabay and the photo is uploaded according to the rule that CC0 license is attached, so this site can be used as CC0 material.