How an image is shared online is the author’s personal choice and should be respected. The choice, however, should be an informed one. These 8 questions will help you be clear about your decision and attitude towards online images.
As the image owner you should be clear about the following:
- Do you want attribution?
- Do you want to make a profit?
- Do you care if others monetize your photos?
- Do you care who sees your photos?
- Do you care if your photos get modified on the Internet?
- Do you want people to explicitly get your permission before “using” your content?
- Are you prepared to register your images with the official copyright office?
- Do you want to legally pursue people who allegedly stole your images?
Try to answer these questions subjectively in terms of
(i) Don’t Care, (ii) Good to Have/Maybe (iii) a MUST
Just being clear about these points could save you an unpleasant experience with your photos later on.