A picture editor's (not so) secret resource: Facebook

And Google Images.

Take a look at the front page of the Independent today. Now go to Google and enter the woman's name (Una Hardester). Click on 'Images'. Voila! The Indo picture editor's secret photo source!

Someone whose image was ripped from Facebook for use in a tabloid paper has asked me about the legitimacy of doing this. There are two issues: copyright and privacy.

In terms of privacy, in Ireland you are not allowed to display or use a photo of someone on a public forum without their consent. (Sounds strange, but it's true.) The exception, however, is for the legitimate gathering or publication of news or legitimate media. (And in case you're wondering what constitutes legitimate media, the Data Privacy Commissioner decides, should you make a complaint: it is unlikely to include blogs.)

In this case, the Indo's use of the image passes the privacy test.

Copyright is a different issue. The image used was taken from a chat/social networking site. It is an image that the woman uses as an avatar (helpfully uploaded by her in high resolution, a gift for the photo editor). On the face of it, she or the website is entitled to something for the use of that image. Neither of them is likely to pursue it, however.

Comments

[Orlaith]

Not that I reckon its ever likely a picture editor is going to be scouring the net for a high res photo of me, I still think the safest option is to give Facebook a wide berth.

[Emmet Ryan]

I can't fathom why people don't pursue on the copyright.

[Gerard Cunningham]

Generally, people don't know about copyright, and newspapers take advantage of that. Check how casually photoshopped images were grabbed from the net and published during the #picturegate kerfuffle.

[Kee To]

The Independent is not a Tabloid Rag, but a newpaper like the Philadelphia inquirer or the any other Legit Newpaper..

[Eoin Kennedy]

This is probably a much bigger issue when things (photo and text) are taken out of context. Lots of the reporting on Michael Dwyer used chunks from his Facebook profile. A photo of him in combat fatigues was pretty much used as 'evidence' that he was engaged in military action and guilty.

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2009/0418/breaking5.html?via=mr

[Warlater]

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