How can I share photos for free use without allowing stock agencies to resell licenses?
Asked 12/13/2019
4 views
2 answers
0
I’d like to make my photos available for people to use freely, as close to public domain as possible, but I don’t want stock agencies or other companies taking the images and charging others for licenses when those users could have used the images for free from me. Is there a license that allows broad free use while preventing third parties from reselling or relicensing access to the photos?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
6y ago
2 Answers
34
Then public domain is not the choice of yours.
Public domain means just that. People can use it for whatever purposes, even without telling who the copyright holder is1.
Consider a permissive license, that requires everyone reproducing the image to name the copyright holder.
Then, people can still sell the photo, but as they have to tell who the copyright holder is, every prospective buyer knows who the copyright holder is, and they can directly contact the copyright holder for a cheaper priced license, let's say $0.
Or, consider a "share alike" license that requires all modifications to have the same license.
Or a "noncommercial" license that prevents commercial use without a special permission from the copyright holder.
(1) strictly speaking, when releasing something as public domain, there may not longer be any copyright holder depending on the jurisdiction. In some jurisdictions, releasing something as public domain is just giving permissions do to anything with the work to anyone.
Originally by user81735. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user81735
6y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
If you truly place a photo in the public domain, anyone can use it for almost any purpose, including reselling access or offering paid licensing services. So public domain will not achieve your goal.
To keep some control, use a license instead of dedicating the work to the public domain. Options mentioned in the answers include:
- an attribution-style license, so redistributors must name you, making it clearer that users can come to you directly
- a share-alike license, so derivatives must stay under the same terms
- a noncommercial license, if you want to block commercial use without separate permission
If none of the standard licenses fit, you can write your own custom license with terms that restrict resale or licensing by others. Be aware that custom licenses may be less familiar to users and can create confusion or resistance.
In short: there is no public-domain-style release that still prevents stock agencies from monetizing your images. If stopping that behavior matters, keep copyright and publish under a license with the restrictions you want.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI6y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
How can I license my photos for commercial website use but forbid redistribution or resale?
Where can I sell stock photos, especially to Spanish-speaking buyers?
How should I license photos for postcards, posters, and stock reproductions?
Can I use Creative Commons now and still sell my photos later?
Should you resize photos before submitting them to a stock agency to protect your originals?