How to protect our photos from being downloaded and reused on Google maps?

[khammami]

Hello,

I'm writing this discussion in order to help another local guide to solve a problem and ask you some questions.

@Nick-Hobgood posted his problem on Google+ here a link :

https://plus.google.com/+NickHobgood/posts/ZQNvTycPnGS

which is about copyright infringement on Google+ and Google maps. I hope you could help him.

in the sight of this problem How local guides can protect their materials on Google maps from being downloaded by others and using them again on Google maps as their own one?

as Nick said the process of reporting abuse is painful and is consuming time especially when there is a lot of your photos being copied. is there anyway to simplify the report of multiple abuse on Google maps?

[Nick-Hobgood]

@khammami Thanks for the assistance.  I must correct my initial post.  I had not checked the new Google Photos to see that the no downloads option is not available.  This is truly disheartening as it will increase the number of copyright infringement cases if Google cannot assure us that we have some protections from unauthorized use.  I have been sharing my images to Google Maps for some time to make it a richer experience but not at the cost of having people use my images as if they were theirs.  This will definitely discourage sharing in the future.  It is in everyone's best interest for the images to have a download restriction feature on all Google accounts or the number of copyright infringement cases will increase exponentially.  Thanks - Nick

[khammami]

@Nick-Hobgood you're welcome.

even on 500px, Flickr and other photography platforms, people manage to download full resolution photos not only on Google services.

The best way to avoid this problem according to other photographers who have faced this problem, you should upload/share low resolution photos on Google+ or other social networks. For Google maps/ Street View it's better to use a logo/watermark/hidden tattoo on your photos so even they succeed to download your photos they can't share them easily as their own one.

So don't stop sharing your great photos with us  🙂

[Nick-Hobgood]

Thanks @khammami.  Yes, I have tried the lower resolution option and the results are not good once in Google Maps.  I will opt for adding a logo as compromising quality puts into question the whole idea of sharing good images.   In the meantime I will keep monitoring and reporting copyright infringement. A painful and time consuming task.

Thanks again,

Nick 

[NalinK]

@Nick-Hobgood sorry to hear what happened to you

i would like to suggest adding a watermark for photos 🙂 

( i used to add watermarks early stage of adding photos ) i think its a temporary solution 

hope google will look into this problem 

[Nick-Hobgood]

Thanks @NalinK Yes, I think a watermark is necessary.  At first I wanted the visitor to have a "true" virtual reality experience without logos or watermarks but now that my images are being used without permission, I am reconsidering.  Thanks for your suggestions.  Nick

[PaulPavlinovich]

@NalinK watermarked images will be deleted from Google Maps

Given that maps needs to be able to display your image, just like in any photo sharing service there will always be an opportunity to download the image (even as only a screen shot). Make sure you include copyright information within your metadata. I set all my images to CCAU3-BY-ND-NC which means I'm releasing under Creative Commons Australia Version 3 and that I allow re-use attribution but not derivatives and no commercial reuse. 

I've been sharing on various social networks for a very long time and gave up two things some time ago - firstly that my images are valuable to anyone but me, they're not and I will not sell them and that I can actually stop people using my images - you can if you sue them but thats about it.

If you're a professional and want to make money from your images then don't share them.

[Nick-Hobgood]

@PaulPavlinovich  Are you sure that Google Maps does not allow watermarks.  I still see a lot of nadir logos in photo spheres.  Is  this no longer allowed ?   Thanks - Nick

[Csaba]

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@NickH wrote:

@PaulPavlinovich  Are you sure that Google Maps does not allow watermarks.  I still see a lot of nadir logos in photo spheres.  Is  this no longer allowed ?   Thanks - Nick

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Hi @Nick-Hobgood, here is the Image Acceptance & Privacy Policies > Publishing Acceptance Criteria where under the Advertising and Attribution tab it says: 

Small, discreet copyright notices (such as a business name or logo) are allowed. Email addresses and phone numbers cannot be included in your images. Acceptable attribution must be limited to the bottom 10% of photos and the bottom 36º (bottom 20%) of photo spheres.

Although the page is under the Street View site, this particular section also talks about "normal" photos. In my opinion, in many cases, if there is a small logo at the bottom 10%, anyone who is desperate to steal the content, will easily crop the image. Placing watermark elsewhere is indeed not allowed, no matter how transparent or faint it is.

[Nick-Hobgood]

Thanks @Csaba  Yes, I just found that guidance.  20% is a lot in a photosphere !  You are right that if someone is intent on using your image they can photoshop the information.  This will at least confirm that the intent was to commit copyright infringement as opposed to ignorance of the policies.  I will start to put a small signature at the bottom of my images on Google Maps to at least have that there in the event they are "borrowed" by others.   My first one here :  https://goo.gl/WPWM3K   Cheers!  Nick