The United States Copyright Office (USCO)

The interface may be a bit outdated and the process can be a bit clunky, but USCO registration is the ultimate tool for protecting your images and recouping the maximum amount of money possible from infringers. While your copyright exists the moment your work is created, registration can help you collect statutory damages from infringers. Images can be registered with the USCO individually or in batches, and processing times take an average of seven months (provided the government is open…)

PRICE: starting at $35
INFO: copyright.gov

Pixsy

Using reverse image search and AI-powered sorting tools, Pixsy continuously monitors the web for instances of illicit image use. Possible cases of infringement are organized by country, commerciality and other metrics that are searchable, so you can quickly drill down on the most interesting/outrageous infringers. The service can send legally compliant takedown notices in over 35 jurisdictions (including the U.S., EU, Japan, China, Russia and India) in over 15 languages. Pixsy is integrated with a wide range of image and cloud storage services so you can import images to your account quickly. Integrations include SmugMug, Photoshelter, Flickr, Instagram, EyeEm, 500Px, Google Drive and Dropbox, among others. When a case of infringement is found, Pixsy sics its legal team on the accused and handles all aspects of litigation and claim recuperation. You’ll only pay in the event your case is successful, in which case you’ll get 50 percent of the final settlement.

PRICE: Free
INFO: pixsy.com

ImageRights

When you sign up for ImageRights, you’ll gain access to an image search algorithm that scours the web for duplicates and possible rip-offs of your creative work. Possible instances of infringement are filtered by the type of site (website or social media) and ranked, giving you a bird’s-eye view on which cases you’d like to pursue or not. The company will front your legal expenses and provides you with an attorney to prosecute your claim. ImageRights will also help you file your copyrights with the USCO. ImageRights creates blockchain-based records of your image’s copyright as well as any instances of infringement. ImageRights has a free Lightroom plugin that lets you upload an image or a set of images to the service and start the process of copyright registration. The plugin also enables you to download U.S. Copyright registration data and add it to your image file’s metadata or filter your image collection by copyright registration status. ImageRights’ Pilot program is a 30-day free trial with protection for 100 images and you’ll keep 45 percent of the net recovery of any successfully prosecuted infringement cases. A Launch tier offers protection for up to 1,000 images and a free year of USCO copyright registration (when paid for annually). Finally, the Ascent tier offers protection for 25,000 images and the opportunity to keep 50 percent of the net recovery. You’ll also get three USCO copyright registrations if you pay annually.

PRICE: $29/month (Launch); $49/month (Ascent)
INFO: imagerights.com

Picture Protection Service

Formerly the Copyright Defense League, Picture Protection Service searches the web for “actionable” cases of infringement (i.e. commercial cases) and then pursues those infringers in tandem with a partner law firm. You won’t incur upfront costs, but will share any winnings with the company. Not everyone can sign up for the service, however. According to company co-founder Randy Taylor, most clients are invited to join. Picture Protection Service also offers free copyright registration with the USCO.

PRICE: Free
INFO: pictureprotectionservice.com

Lapixa

Like its peers, Lapixa scours the web for instances of copyright infringement and supports a reverse image search so you can actively seek out infringers. You can upload up to 2,000 images at a time, though you can also request a higher cap if necessary. The service is capable of finding infringed images even if they’ve been cropped or had a filter applied to them. Using the service’s dashboard, you can filter your potential infringement results by region, language, keyword and more. You can also create whitelisted URLs that the service’s search engines will bypass when looking for copies (good for whitelisting your own web page, for instance). You can tap the company’s global network of lawyers when it’s time to press your legal claim, and only pay Lapixa if your efforts are successful. You’ll receive 57 percent of the settlement, after legal fees. The service operates in many EU countries as well as the U.S., Canada and Australia.

PRICE: Free
INFO: lapixa.de

TinEye

If you’re less interested in a full-frontal legal assault and just want to assess the lay of the land, TinEye’s reverse image search can help you identify where your images are being used across the web. You can upload your files from the TinEye website or add it as a browser extension for Firefox, Chrome, Safari and Opera. The results can be sorted by best match, most changed, biggest image, newest and oldest. Matching results can be compared against the original to see how much editing has been done and you can also group results together by URL or domain to see where your photos are frequently popping up.

PRICE: Free
INFO: tineye.com

Vitrium

Unlike services that track down images after they have been stolen, Vitrium helps you secure them so they’re tougher to pilfer. Using the cloud-based service, you can drag-and-drop images to add Digital Rights Management (DRM) controls and strong encryption. With these controls in place, you’re able to track how files are used and accessed, and prevent unauthorized uses like saving and printing. The controls offer a set of image analytics that let you track information associated with each image file (when and where it was opened, etc.). Vitrium offers a secure client portal where you can share files with clients in a protected manner. Using Vitrium’s API, you can add the service to your personal website, a CRM system, cloud services like Box and much more.

PRICE: $375/month
INFO: vitrium.com

ImageDefenders

ImageDefenders uses three image search engines to surface potential cases of infringement. Using your client dashboard, you can review which instances of use raise red flags. Once you mark uses as unlicensed, ImageDefenders’ network of lawyers will contact you with offers to pursue claims with contingency rates in the 30-percent range, according to the service. ImageDefenders currently has a network of attorneys that can handle cases in the U.S., Canada and Germany, and is in the process of building out its global presence. ImageDefenders offers copyright holders 50 percent of the gross recovery. There’s no limit to the number of images you can upload.

PRICE: Free
INFO: imagedefenders.com

Copytrack

Copytrack lets you upload an unlimited number of images and performs a web crawl to catalogue instances of infringement. Its AI-based image search can detect infringers even when the image is cropped, retouched or modified (to a degree). When Copytrack finds a possible illicit use, it automatically gathers data on the publication date, owner of the page in question, the storage location of the image and more. When you discover an unauthorized use, Copytrack will send a post-license offer. If that fails, the service’s legal team will pursue an infringement case. Copytrack is free to use for up to 1,000 images, though the service will take between 30 to 50 percent of the total amount you claim in a copyright infringement suit if the claim is successful.

PRICE: Free
INFO: copytrack.com

Myows

Myows serves an unusual niche. You can use the service as a photo website hosting platform that simultaneously supports hosting copyright information. Every image you upload gets a unique record associated with it that you can use to pursue DMCA takedowns. Myows doesn’t pair you up with lawyers like many of the aforementioned services, but does offer web searching to find instances of unauthorized use. You can also upload USCO records alongside Myows’ own certifications for more legal heft when pursuing infringers. If you build your photo website using Myows, you can access watermarking, tools for prominently displaying licensing terms, and easily add social media images to your account by hashtagging them with #myows. You can host 100 images on your Myows site for free, while a Pro subscription can host 1,000 images and supports selling those files directly from the site. Premium and Elite tiers can host 100,000 images, offer more advanced website templates and the ability to sell PDFs, e-books, videos and basically any file you can Zip (Elite tier only).

PRICE: $9/month (Pro); $19/month (Premium); $29/month (Elite)
INFO: myows.com

DMCA Takedown

While most website hosting providers have forms that let you submit DMCA takedowns, this service not only sends those notices but will monitor both images and text snippets to find unauthorized uses. It can offer right-click protection and watermarking for images on your website as well. There are plugins for both WordPress and Blogger. If you notice an offending site pilfering your stuff, you can spring for a “full-service takedown” for $199. If DMCA fails to take the content down, your money will be refunded. Alternatively, a $10 DIY kit gives you the forms needed to pursue your own takedowns. DMCA offers two tiers of website protection. The free tier offers a unique website badge you can slap on your site; it can potentially deter thieves and track instances of website replication. This tier also supports a real-time image search that’s active for 23 hours, plus two scans for unauthorized website copies.

PRICE: $10/month
INFO: dmca.com

ImageProtect

ImageProtect offers web scanning and a filter-able list of results so you can decide which parties to take action against. When you’re ready to pursue legal remedies, Image Protect can connect you with a law firm. The company also offers a service called IPShare which lets you convert images into an embeddable and trackable format that supports in-image advertising (revenue is split between ImageProtect and the creator). When ImageProtect finds an instance of infringement, you can opt to have the image replaced with an IPShare image in the hopes of using its ad-serving capabilities to earn income from the image. A Standard plan offers protection for 1,000 images but you’ll be unable to submit a claim without upgrading to a paid tier of service. The Essential plan covers 50,000 images and offers a 50 percent split of the net settlement. A Premium plan covers 125,000 images with a similar 50 percent cut of the net settlement.

PRICE: $20/month (Essential); $45/month (Premium)
INFO: imageprotect.com

Permission Machine

 
Permission Machine offers image scanning technology that can detect original images plus those that have been retouched and cropped. Automated filters deliver potential cases of infringement to you in a neat package. If you spot theft, Permission Machine has its own legal staff alongside a networked of IP attorneys to bring the (legal) hammer down. You can upload an unlimited number of no-obligation test images. If Permission Machine settles a case directly, the damages are split 50-50 between the copyright holder and the company (the company absorbs all the fees, too, regardless of settlement outcomes). If a lawyer handles and settles the case, the settlement is split 33.3 percent to the copyright holder, 33.3 percent to the attorney and 33.3 to Permission Machine.

Want more PDN? Click here to sign up for our email newsletter and get the week’s top stories delivered straight to you.

Related Articles:
Copyright News You Should Know

5 Questions to Consider Before You Sue a Copycat

The Promise and Pitfalls of Photography on the Blockchain