Some weeks ago I tried Google image search. First search - Bingo.
Here is my image at FT:http://de.fotolia.com/id/22390470Here are the search results:
1.
http://halwatishop.com/Arome-CaramelLooking at file information in PS5: The file information is empty.
No (Digimarc) watermark found.
There are two of my caramel images used in this image. There is no copyright information given.
I can't recognize legal/illegal use.
2.
http://boralipbalm.com/main.scLooking at file information in PS5: The file information is empty.
No (Digimarc) watermark found.
There is no copyright information given.
Filename: 110_F_22390470_vkIc9s8aPe7lcpiJGdsXtCcb61eHBxux.jpg
Size of the image: ImageLength 74 pixels, ImageWidth: 110 pixels
This filename and imagesize one gets, when he views the search results for "toffee" at FT in Firefox, makes a right button click on the image and choses "image info". Then he gets a new Firefox window with the page info and graphics info, where he can download the image with the button "save as". He gets a file with that name, size and whithout file information, whithout fotolia watermarks and whithout Digimarc watermarks.
I think, this image is in illegal use.
3.
http://pixers.fr/papier-peint/chercher/togethernessThis company seems to use Fotolia's stock. I don't want to think about them now.
4.
http://fukuoka.shoplog.jp/worlddrive3/15354.htmlI don't know, what this company deals with, handbags, caramel sweets, images? I'm not good in Japanese.
Looking at file information in PS5: The full file information is there (IPTC etc.).
No (Digimarc) watermark found.
Copyright information is given (ingwio - Fotolia).
I think it's a legal use (and hope I've got my commission).
5.
http://www.worlddrive.jp/15354.htmlThe same as no. 4.
6.
http://www.rydnails.eu/no/boutique-onglerie/soin-manucure (and some other pages of
www.rydnails.eu)
Back to the north of Europe and in the homeland of Tyler Olson.
The file information is empty.
No (Digimarc) watermark found.
My caramel image is used in this image. There is no copyright information given.
I can't recognize legal/illegal use.
7....
Several sites of microstock agents (FT, SS, 123RF).
And here are my questions:
Why can't I see a Digimarc watermark (no. 4 and 5)?
Fotolia describes this feature
http://blog.fotolia.com/de/2005/08/23/digimarc-schutz-fur-ihre-fotos/. It's in German, I couldn't find it in English. The company is still at the market:
http://www.digimarc.com/DigimarcForImages/.Have the buyers to put copyright information in the files, when they use our images in their images?
How do you recognize a legal/illegal use of your images?
What do the agents do to prevent illegal use?
What could we do to let the agents prevent illegal use?
Would a license ID for each download help recognizing legal/illegal use?
The images have IDs. If we had a license/download ID too, we could recognize images whithout legal licenses, we could find double uses on different websites and we could check the commissions.
PS:
I don't want to write a book, I want my images earn money. And I don't trust the agents. I asked FT about the legal/illegal use of my image two weeks ago - no answer so far.