Photo Use and Copyright Guidelines
We take photo use and copyright adherence very seriously at Patch. Learn the rules and stick to 'em.
Embedded Files
Copyright Infringement is using work protected by copyright law without permission, infringing on certain exclusive rights granted to the copyright holder, such as the right to exploit, reproduce, distribute, display or perform the protected work.
We must assume any image found on the web or submitted to us is under copyright.
If we violate someone's copyright by putting a photograph on Patch without permission, we could be on the hook for thousands, even tens of thousands, of dollars.
With so many images on the web, it may seem like no one will notice if you pilfer one. But, lawyers troll the web looking for violations. We receive claim letters every week demanding damages for alleged infringements.
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act affords the company some protection when user generated content violates copyright, but our staff must abide by copyright laws.
Giving someone credit or a link without getting permission does not protect us from copyright infringement. Claiming we made a mistake also does not protect us from a claim.
Copyright holders have the right to decide where their images are used. In many cases, they will say yes if you ask. BUT YOU MUST ASK.
It's important to know this: Any failure to abide by these rules and practices could result in termination for cause. When in doubt, ask.
We Have the Right to Use These
Photographs you took yourself.
Photographs in the Patch Image Archive, WebDAM. This should always be the first place you search for stock art.
Photographs from our AP Images/AP Newsroom accounts.
(Note: Editorial use ONLY. One download is good for one-time use)
Photographs from our Shutterstock account.
(Note: An editorial download is good for one-time use; a creative download is good for unlimited uses)
Police mug shots. Reference our booking photo policy here.
Embed videos/photos from social media such as Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, etc., as long as it is not by a professional photographer/videographer or original content from another media outlet.
Photographs submitted by a user, reader or member of the public provided that you confirm the submitter took the photo and obtain written permission to publish that photo.
You may also use screenshots of Google Earth/Google Streetview
Google's terms of use allow for news publications to use these images for editorial purposes (not in any advertising or promotion).
(Note: Make sure to only screenshot the interactive portion of the map and to not take any of the user submitted screenshots that appear at the bottom left when you go to search a location.
Do NOT crop out any watermarks or Google-branded signage, including the data info bar along the bottom of the map.)
Find Best Practices for Google Maps screenshots here.
Do Not Use These
Photographs screencapped or downloaded from social media, including Facebook pages, Twitter feeds, Instagram posts or websites of individuals, groups, businesses, news organizations, etc.
Photographs from Wikimedia Commons, Flickr, Pixabay, Unsplash or any other free stock image website.
Get Permission
We must obtain written permission to use these:
A photograph on a government website may NOT necessarily be public domain. A photographer may have taken the photo and granted limited rights to the government body to use the image for a specific person. That means you can't just download and use ANY AND EVERY image from a government website or Twitter account just because it's a government account.
Photographs provided by a community group or a PR person for a community group. Sometimes, these groups or individuals are not aware of copyright laws and they submit copyrighted images they've pulled from the web.
GoFundMe photos: You must reach out to the organizer of the GoFundMe event that you would like to use a photo from to verify ownership and confirm permission to run. We can't assume GoFundMe organizers are using rights-cleared photos for their fundraisers.
Screenshots: You must always get permission to screenshot any online photos or content, even if it is embedded in your article. (This goes for YouTube videos as well).
Obituary photos: We must verify the source of obituary photos prior to publishing.
We ALWAYS need to ask about the source of the image before we publish. And we ALWAYS need to credit the photographer and organization.
How To Get Permission
We must obtain permission in writing to use any photograph that is not from one of the approved sources listed above.
» Email the person/business whose photo you want to use. Ask them if they took the photo.
» Tweet them publicly and ask if you can use their photo.
» Message the person or organization on Facebook.
» DM them on Instagram
IMPORTANT AND REQUIRED: After you obtain permission, you must screenshot that permission, name the file ‘mmddyy-subject-initials' and drop the approval into this folder. (example: 010120-YMCA-NY-DavidAllen.jpg)
A 2010 lawsuit affirms that individuals do not give up their copyright by posting their images to social media. They grant Twitter and Facebook limited rights to use the photographs by agreeing to their terms of service, but that doesn't extend to anyone else.
Download All Images Where Possible
Downloading the image preserves the metadata associated with the file. This is preferable whenever possible. A screenshot may be interpreted as a sign we are trying to hide the origin of a photo. For cases where you need to screenshot an image (for example, when police send you a mugshot inside a Word document or PDF), remember to give your screenshot a real filename with search-optimized keywords. All image filenames should have search–optimized keywords. Do not upload images to our website named "screenshot." (As of 2017, our system prohibits that use.)
*We know there are issues with downloading photos and Chromebook. » Click here for apps you may use.
Always Provide Proper Image Credit
Include the author’s name, where you found it, a link back to the original source and as much information about how you obtained it as possible. Even a Patch file photo needs a credit. "Patch file photo" is not sufficient. We must identify who produced that image. Every photo MUST HAVE A CUTLINE.
Examples:
AP Credit style: Photographer Name/AP Photo
Shutterstock Editorial Credit style: Photographer Name/Shutterstock
Creative Stock Credit style: Shutterstock
NOTE: If credited to pool photographer or third-party source, then copy exactly how the agency has it shown in the caption of the image)
Patch Staff Credit style: Photographer Name/Patch (ex: David Allen/Patch)
AI Photo Policy:
As of 2024, our photo policy does not allow editors to use AI photos.
See More: How to Detect AI/Fake Images
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Next! Moving on to photo subscriptions & archive guide!
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