Copyright Enforcement: Shifting from Prosecution to Buyer Acquisition

Photographers and agencies are concerned about unauthorized image uses and the best ways to protect their copyright. The focus is often on catching the criminal---finding the individual who has made an unauthorized use---but there are two aspects to copyright protection that need to be considered. Much more attention should be paid to making it easy for individuals who find an image they want to use---whether on the Internet or in a printed publication---to locate the image owner and determine if a fee must be paid for the rights to use that image.