Beware Of Unauthorised Copyright Infringement

Getty Images, the photographic agency, has recently settled a copyright infringement dispute concerning the unauthorised use of one of its images.

Getty claimed that JA Coles, a UK removals firm, used one of Getty's images ('Mother with daughter (6-8) looking at each other and smiling') on its website without paying for it. JA Coles removed the image from its website immediately after receiving notification from Getty of the unauthorised use. However, Getty continued to demand a royalty payment for the use of the image up to the date it was removed from the website, together with a further amount to compensate for the costs it had incurred in enforcing its rights. JA Coles refused to make the payments.