In episode 578, Kathy Berget teaches us what to do when our blog images have been used without our permission and how to get compensated for them.

Kathy is the author, photographer, recipe developer, and writer at Beyond the Chicken Coop where she creates delicious home-cooked recipes utilizing what they grow and raise. Kathy is a former elementary school principal and has three grown kids; twin boys and one girl. Kathy and her husband live in the country on their own little farm.

In this episode, you’ll learn about copyright for images, ways in which you can respond and how to use image theft protection services like Pixsy to get compensated.

Key points discussed:

- Image theft is a common issue for food bloggers: Food blog images are often stolen or used without permission by various businesses, including restaurants, markets, and online retailers.

- Copyright protection is automatic for blog images: Photographers automatically have copyright over their images, even without formal registration.

- Services like Pixsy can help track and fight image theft: Pixsy is an online service that helps photographers find and fight unauthorized use of their images.

- Responding to image theft requires a balanced approach: Do not obsess over every instance of image theft -  selectively pursue cases that are worth the time and effort (especially if images are used for commercial purposes).

- Watermarking images can increase their value if stolen: Removing or altering a watermark on an image can actually increase its value if used without permission.

- Educating the public about image rights is an ongoing challenge: Many people may be unaware that using images found online without permission is considered theft.

- Persistence and documentation are key when pursuing image theft cases: It’s important to thoroughly document evidence and follow through with service providers like Pixsy.

- Maintaining a positive attitude is important when dealing with image theft: Do no let image theft issues negatively impact your overall mindset and productivity.

If You Loved This Episode… You’ll love Episode 390 with Rob Finkelstein - Legal Issues Every Food Photographer Should Consider

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