Getty images teamed up with PicScout to hunt and destroy copyright infringers

Getty Images has teamed up with PicScout to search and destroy.. Ah, no maybe not that dramatic, to "investigate internet use of its entire collection of approximately 450,000 Rights Managed images." the StockArtistsAlliance reports.
The SAA (Stock Artists Alliance), a global trade association
dedicated to the interests of Rights Managed stock photographers, have suspected that infringment cases were high on the internet for quite some time now. In December 2004 they launched a study which confirmed the extent of unauthorized usage going on. See more in the Getty Press Release: "Over the course of the year, Getty Images will periodically provide PicScout with additional Rights Managed images as we supplement our collection. PicScout will provide Getty Images periodic match reports showing all uses they have found on websites, which Getty Images will then process to determine which are unauthorized/unlicensed uses."

Previous posts harping on about copyright: A short chat with Leslie A. Kelly Monday, July 11, 2005 Tsunami-filmer in Khao Lak bankrupts without payment for his film Thursday, July 21, 2005 The latest copyright fight - Perfect 10 vs Amazon Monday, July 04, 2005. Photos, blogging and fair use Friday, February 04, 2005 Copyright, Copyleft, Copyup, Copydown and Copywrong. Monday, January 17, 2005 Nike convicted of copyright infringement, Zhu Zhiqiang won Thursday, December 30, 2004 When is permission to repost images needed? Wednesday, December 08, 2004 Hotlinking to big sites is legit - they don't care a bit. Wednesday, August 25, 2004 Copyright isn’t a Threat, it’s a Protection Thursday, June 17, 2004 Reuters FAST technology will monitor copyright violation Friday, March 26, 2004