Dreamstime Launched LicenseGuard, a Tool to Solve Copyright Infringement of Stock Photos
Stock photo agency Dreamstime, which has been amongst the top companies in the space for many years, has recently launched LicenseGuard, a new intelligent tool to protect copyright for all images in their catalog.
Powered by AI technology, this free tool detects potentially unlicensed uses of Dreamstime’s images on the web and offers different options to solve claims quickly and fairly, including a way for contributors to earn from previously unauthorized usage.
LicenseGuard, A Proprietary Copyright Tracking Tool
Like the title says, LicenseGuard is Dreamstime’s own, custom tool for copyright tracking. It uses AI-based scanning technology, state-of-the-art visual recognition algorithms, and human review to check all of Dreamtime’s images across the Internet, find matches, and flag potentially unlicensed uses.
Once an unlicensed image is identified, the system offers different notice alternatives to send to the infringer: a cease and desist note, but more relevantly, also post-usage licensing options in the form of Royalty Free, Standard or Extended license.
The tool is already actively scanning all of Dreamtime’s 185 million images, and it’s completely free –neither contributors nor buyers are charged for this protection.
A Way to Easier Solve Copyright Infringement Issues
That is what Dreamstime believes LicenseGuard can provide. Particularly with the introduction of licenses that cover post-usage cases, they expect a higher success rate in copyright infringement claims. They also mention how the new Copyright Small Claims Board in the US can be an aid in this regard.
The idea is that providing artists with a tool that monitors the use of their work on the web and also gives them easy and less aggressive ways to pursue fair compensation -opposite to the classic copyright infringement claim that demands a monetary settlement. On the buyer side, the same concept applies as unaware and/or accidental infringers would have a way to solve the problem without too much legal hassle and continue using the image, now lawfully licensed.
Finally, the agency hopes this system will help educate Internet users and general population about how intellectual property works, and how to rightfully and fairly use stock media.
Will LicenseGuard become the way to solve stock imagery misuse online? Only time will tell. It’s certainly an interesting tool!
