How can I determine the copyright or license of a Flickr CDN image before reusing it?
Asked 12/8/2020
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2 answers
0
I found an image hosted directly on Flickr’s static CDN, for example a URL like https://c1.staticflickr.com/.../14742720206_3273facb2f_b.jpg, but there is no copyright notice in the image itself or in the page source. I’d like to use it in a presentation and possibly republish it. How can I identify the original Flickr page and check the image’s copyright or license status? Is it safe to assume fair use, or should I always get permission first?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
5y ago
2 Answers
24
I managed to find it using this guide:
In summary:
The number before the first
_is thephotoIDAppend this to
http://flickr.com/photo.gne?id=
And you get the full flickr URL for the image.
In my case the link was http://flickr.com/photo.gne?id=14742720206 (note, image now removed from flickr).
Which has a non-commercial CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 license.
Originally by user96311. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user96311
5y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Do not assume it’s free to use just because it’s on Flickr’s CDN or lacks a visible notice. Photos are copyrighted by default, including on Flickr, unless the owner has clearly licensed them otherwise.
A practical way to trace a Flickr CDN image is to use the number before the first underscore as the Flickr photo ID. In your example, 14742720206 can be appended to http://flickr.com/photo.gne?id= to locate the original photo page and check its stated license. Reverse image search can also help find the original source or credited photographer.
Based on the community answers, this specific image was traced to a Flickr page that listed a CC BY-NC-SA 2.0 license. That means reuse is allowed only under that license’s terms, including attribution, share-alike, and non-commercial use. If the image has since been removed, that makes verification harder, so you should not rely on the CDN link alone.
Fair use is limited and context-specific, so it’s not something you should simply assume for presentations or republication. If the license is unclear, ask the owner for permission or use an image with an explicit reusable license.
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AI5y ago
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