When I was searching for any images on google, I've noticed 2 buttons were missing. I looked it up and they are the one to blame for removing the "View Image" and "Search by image" buttons on Google.
Many news sites mentions gettyimages doing this because their images gets stolen (a. K. a pirated) or that users access the content without the ads.
2 reason why these reasons to remove the buttons are pathetic:
-The image displayed on google images are basically hotlinks to the original source (which is how google image main function), thus users can still pirate using google images by right-clicking on the image and using browser addons. And no, asking google to remove rightclick won't work, I already explained that sites like Benitaepstein did that and nobody would ever wanted to visit a website that have DRM.
-You know, people can still evade ads not only by direct accessing the image (as in, going to the image's URL itself), but also (obviously) using ad blockers. Have you ever herd of using ad block detection?
This is the stupidest move I've ever seen. It is nothing more than adding more clicks to use a great image service; downgrading google images. Why can't they just have images that are full resolution behind a robots. Txt or 403 forbidden on the actual image and the watermarked downgraded version available for public? And yes, I said "google images", not specifically images from gettyimages displayed on Google that the buttons were kicked.
This isn't the only turd they drop, there is one that is still coming out of this company's arse (and it's a long one that clogged the toilet that even a plunger couldn't fix): Threat letters. I have mentioned on this article that this company complains about it's images being stolen and they go out of their way of screwing legitimate things over. They have a long history of sending "demand letters" coercing and even intimidating many site owners that their users is uploading images without their permission. I said demand letters, not DMCA notices, meaning they do not use takedown notices kindly asking them to remove the content without any liability incurred. This is basically the ransom version SOPA/PIPA, these enforcement that goes against the safe harbor liability limitations provisions.
Totally not worth to even go to their site (other than to visit their site with maximum ad blocking protection (to make them lose revenue), page source editing prank to make people think gettyimages is even *******@ppier, and sending hate mail to the CEO). After giving google image users and web owners the middle finger for allowing image piracy, this company should be publicly shamed by all users on the internet.
2019/3/12 update: Oh look: https://torrentfreak.com/100s-of-rightsholder-groups-urge-eu-parliament-to-adopt-the-copyright-directive-*******/ (I cannot use certain characters such as left/right quotation marks here thanks to this site's text handling system):
[The full list of supporters includes popular names such as Thomson Reuters, The Independent, the Association of Independent Music, *Getty Images*, PRS for Music, SACEM, Eurocinema, and many, many others.]
Thats right, Just as I was expecting. If Gettyimages was in the US during 2011-12 they WOULD support SOPA. If you are too lazy on what is Article 13 in the EU, in simple words, its a "Notice and Staydown" provision aimed at crippling the safe harbor provision. Sites will be held liable if an infringing material happens to be re-uploaded after being taken down. This explains why people are complaining that this would lead to automated system to detect a match like youtube's ContentID system, but takes down content instead of monetization.