when you put a picture on the internet who owns it?

Question

For example if i put a photo on a site like myspace, is the picture then owned by the public or do i still own it? and is it legal for somebody else to download it and put it on their site?

Answer 1

for photo hosting sites, you own your pictures. rationale: 'coz you can delete or remove them anytime you want. the only thing is, you explicitly allow the host site and others who can visit the same to access your photos, thus allowing them to download. for the legality of putting your pictures in their site, depends on the applicable law of your country. generally, it is unethical even unlawful to use your pictures without your permission.

Answer 2

The thing is, once you post something on the net, people from everywhere will have access to it. Nothing really protects it, unless it's been copyrighted or on a site where it protects it and gives you the title of the owner of the image. Nothing really can be done about it. But if it IS copyrighted by the site or whatever, and somebody takes it and claims it as their own, then it's considered internet stealing.

EDIT: one more thing, normally if you get permission from the owner of the image, then it's okay for you to use that image, as long as you make clear what you're going to do with it.

Answer 3

I would ask my parents to do some research or tell me why they feel this way. I believe they are right from what I have seen on TV. I personally find no problem with good taste pictures being posted. I do know from being older that nothing goes away. Bad decision, things I didn't carry through to completion, things that happened to me that I just wanted to go away did go away.......for many years.......but they are always out there and believe me, they do come back with all the same impact they had when they first happened. Bottom line is to ask yourself this question: Will this hurt me when I am 40 and have a family and established business career. What you post now will reappear!

Answer 4

If the person using your picture isn't making money from it, you really have no recourse - it's not worth legal action. You still own the copyright though, unless you gave it to the site you uploaded it to (check their terms and conditions). If some professional publisher wanted to print it, they'd need YOUR permission.

Answer 5

If the website terms and conditions do not say anything about it it is your property. It might be part of the conditions that uploaded pictures become property of the website, and if you accepted it then.. then you accepted it :)

As I remember Prince sued his fan sites owners for usage of the pictures from his official site.

By the way, you don't need to "copyright" it
http://www.photosecrets.com/tips.copyright.html

Answer 6

Almost always the site to which you uploaded your photo. But read the TOS on the particular site to know for sure. That being said, once it's out there, it's near impossible to control, so be careful what you share.

Answer 7

The picture is public domain once you place it on the internet without the proper copyright law protecting it. If not protected then anyone can download the picture and NOTHING can be done about it.

Answer 8

it depends is it copyrighted??
if so then yea it's illegal...