Getty Images goes 'free for all' with new embedding rule

World's largest photo service, Getty Images, has reportedly decided to make its content free for public use after acknowledging that its pictures were everywhere with or without the watermark.

Earlier, if users wanted to get any Getty picture without the watermark, they had to pay for it.

However, the photo service has decided to drop the watermark for the bulk of its collection, in exchange for an open-embed program that would require users to add a footer at the bottom of the image with a credit and link to the licensing page, The Verge reports.

Craig Peters, a business development exec at Getty Images, downplaying the risk of people using unlicensed versions, said that if web publishers have a legal, free path to use the images, they'd take it, opening up a new revenue stream for Getty and photographers.

The report said that once the images are embedded, Getty has much more control over the images as the company would be able to use embeds to plant ads or collect user information.