Getty Images is now allowing users to embed its stock photographs for free, reported CNET.
CNET said that than more than 35 million photos will be available for non-commercial use via an embed option. The option generates an HTML link that also contains data attributing the image to Getty. This is similar to embedding Youtube videos and Flickr images. This latest move seems to point to the fact that Getty seeks to find new revenue streams.
Mashable reported that by allowing users to embed photos, Getty can gather user data and put up ads within embeddable frames. It further said the images will be available with watermark and contain an image credit linking to Getty's licensing page.
"What we're trying to do is take a behavior that already exists and enable it legally, then try to get some benefits back to the photographer primarily through attribution and linkage," said Craig Peters, senior vice president of business development, product and content at Getty Images, in an interview with CNET Australia.
Bloombery Businessweek said that creating an embedding tool is Getty's way of acknowledging it cannot curtail illegal use of its images. This is in line with its earlier model where it charged users for the use of its images.
Peters echoed similar views when he spoke to CNET Australia. "I equate this back to when you think about music, back before there was iTunes or Spotify," he said.
"People were stealing imagery because they didn't have an alternative. Our job here is to provide a better alternative to stealing, not only one that's legal but one that's better. There are no watermarks beyond attribution, and hopefully with the ease of access and the ability to search through our entire archive of imagery, those are things that are actually better off when there's publishers who want to use our content," he added.
The embed code is available as a button for Worpress, Twitter, blogs and other content sharing services, Mashable said.
