Author Topic: Getty Images Acquires PicScout (Read 6356 times)

luissantos84 · « **on:** April 28, 2011, 16:46 »

http://www.stockphototalk.com/the_stock_photo_industry_/2011/04/getty-images-acquires-picscout.html

microstockphoto.co.uk · « **Reply #1 on:** April 28, 2011, 17:19 »

besides tracking stolen pictures, they can also control their own unhappy exclusives - should someone be tempted to start building a port elsewhere before officially leaving

they inspire me conspiracy theories lately

cathyslife · « **Reply #2 on:** April 28, 2011, 17:41 »

Quote from: microstockphoto.co.uk on April 28, 2011, 17:19

besides tracking stolen pictures, they can also control their own unhappy exclusives - should someone be tempted to start building a port elsewhere before officially leaving

they inspire me conspiracy theories lately

Conspiracy or fact?

It will be a great feature for whichever istock group they offer the service to. I'm guessing that non-exclusives won't benefit from it. And possibly even some exclusives as well. Just depends on where a contributor is in the pecking order.

Or maybe they bought them so that they can run it into the ground like StockXpert. This way, it will be one less service contributors can use to find their images (especially ELs) in use illegally. Next up, Tineye.

luissantos84 · « **Reply #3 on:** April 28, 2011, 17:59 »

when I look at my pictures (ex: when I got my portfolio open at IS site) I got them all my pics at picscout from DT or 123RF or Cutcaster, so I might be missing something, or IS is going to change it?

TheSmilingAssassin · « **Reply #4 on:** April 28, 2011, 20:40 »

Quote from: luissantos84 on April 28, 2011, 17:59

when I look at my pictures (ex: when I got my portfolio open at IS site) I got them all my pics at picscout from Dreamstime or 123RF or Cutcaster, so I might be missing something, or IS is going to change it?

That's good news for IS exclusives, bad news for independent contributors and bad news for all other agencies who contracted with PicScout to index their images on ImageExchange. There's a conflict of interest now isn't there? The purpose of this system was to to trace the true origin of an image and steer a searcher towards the original copyrighted image. It’ll end up being used to drive traffic to iStock or flickr. I can’t image other agencies contracting with PicScout now that Getty have their greedy hands in the till and have full control over them. Whether Getty changes it purposely or not, it will change... or it will sink.

lagereek · « **Reply #5 on:** April 29, 2011, 00:10 »

Yes, this buy is the answer to Dr. Krepeilins discovery of Paranoia but without the delution. 20 million bucks for something their local Shrink would have done free of charge.
probably took a bank-loan as well.

cathyslife · « **Reply #6 on:** April 29, 2011, 06:43 »

Quote from: pseudonymous on April 28, 2011, 20:40

Quote from: luissantos84 on April 28, 2011, 17:59
when I look at my pictures (ex: when I got my portfolio open at IS site) I got them all my pics at picscout from Dreamstime or 123RF or Cutcaster, so I might be missing something, or IS is going to change it?

That's good news for IS exclusives, bad news for independent contributors and bad news for all other agencies who contracted with PicScout to index their images on ImageExchange. There's a conflict of interest now isn't there? The purpose of this system was to to trace the true origin of an image and steer a searcher towards the original copyrighted image. It’ll end up being used to drive traffic to iStock or flickr. I can’t image other agencies contracting with PicScout now that Getty have their greedy hands in the till and have full control over them. Whether Getty changes it purposely or not, it will change... or it will sink.

Yeah, that's kind of what I thought, too.

Jonathan Ross · « **Reply #7 on:** April 30, 2011, 13:18 »

Hi All,

Another company will come along and take Picscouts place. I believe Getty did it because it was cheaper to buy a system already in place to track their own images and direct sales to their site and keep up with collecting on image theft, which I believe is going to become a much bigger priority in the stock business than it has in the past. I don't think they are trying to keep information from us just protect images under the Getty umbrella. This technology is out there and it will continue to be effective for all of us.

Best,
Jonathan