Using images in your blog [split off from BAs Fall]
 

Just curious.. Are bloggers allowed to use photos/images/logos taken from corporate websites like Hyatt, SPG, Delta, etc? I see this a lot on BoardingArea and a majority of bloggers never give credit or reference where the photos are from. Actually, a number of them don't even to relabel the file names of screen shots or images saved from these travel websites.

If they are available in their press kit then yes - that's what they are there for. But photo credit should be given for any photo not taken (and thus owned) by the blog site itself unless it's properly acquired stock photography.

IIRC not using GE but form/etc i did not have to declare ALL food recently

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trust...bout-food.html 186 replies

No need to credit them as long as they are used for the intended journalistic purpose - and blogs are fine for those too. What they can't be used for is travel agencies, sales materials etc...

Nothing wrong with using them on a blog, and it would be pretty silly of a hotel to complain about photos being used. That said, they do tend to complain when the image is manipulated, or if things are added to the photo, which obviously makes sense.

If the image is manipulated or had something added to it, it makes less sense as presumably it would be covered under fair use. That said, they will still complain/threaten if they are edited in a way they don't approve of.

I rather disagree.... blogs are commercial ventures for most, there is no journalistic purpose there.

And TIME magazine is not a commercial venture?

They don't rip of peoples images to use them for free... that's the discussion here. Not who else does the same.

You are right, they charge the hotels for the advertising. The discussion here concerns using these photos to talk about staying at the hotels - basically free advertising for the hotel. No way hotels do not like that type of usage. It is not ripping off people's images - it is using the very hotel-flattering photos from the hotel itself. Ever see a bad photo of an America's Best Value hotel on their own website :)

Unfortunately for you the rest of the commercial world disagrees, and I can assure you a chain like Hyatt doesn't view BoardingArea as a "commercial venture". Just because Flyertalk has a weird fascination with the site and appears to devote an entire forum to bashing the site and its writers, doesn't mean a hotel chain sees it the same way. All blogs have banners and affiliate links. Just visit a large site like Engadget, Huffington Post or TechCrunch. Something has to pay the bills.

Flyertalk also has a weird fascination with United Airlines and appears to devote an entire forum to bashing the airline and its employees.

In fact, last I checked the FT motto was:

FlyerTalk: Bashing Travel Related Products and Services Since 1998!

:D

Using the images published by vendors in the media packs for media-related efforts is exactly what those companies want you to do. Hyatt would much prefer my story about the inanity of launching a new brand which doesn't actually distinguish from the others it already has to at least have a pretty photo which it has perfectly lighted and staged rather than one I snapped on my way into a room I was staying in one random night.

Anyone who labels themselves a travel hacker should not be considered a journalist... especially when they are too lazy to relabel and resize screenshots.

http://oi58.tinypic.com/dxz715.jpg

Right, and I already understand situations like that... but I am asking about taking images from their website and re-posting them on their blog without any time of credit given. It is hard to distinguish which photos were taken by a blogger and which were "borrowed" (except in the case of the points guy who consistently takes the worst travel photos I've ever seen).

There is, at least to my understanding of the law, no requirement to credit a photo taken from a media kit. I can think of plenty of reasons it is a good idea and when I bother to remember I do so, but that's usually low on my list of things I'm worried about when producing content.

ETA: I also could not care less if someone chooses to rename the file or not. The only impact that has is on SEO and even there it is minimal.

When I use content for which I do not hold a copyright, I try very hard to stay within the allowance provided by the fair dealing doctrine.

I created a picture this summer making fun of United's MileagePlus changes which I posted on Facebook. It was taken and reposted without my permission or attribution by two bloggers including Gary Leff.

Putting aside a situation where a media kit is provided I have seen travel bloggers use "borrowed" images and/or screen shots on a daily basis.

I believe there was a publicized case of a popular media/entertainment blogger who would use images without permission. The blogger's defense was that since they had scribbled "funny" images on the photos they satire and covered under fair use.

What did they say when you caught them doing this.

Various excuses. It was especially disappointing as Lucky had personally messaged me and asked if he could use the picture and if yes, how I wanted to be cited. The other two were either lazy or deliberate thieves.

Not saying one way or the other, but did you create the page that you used to re-do? Or was that a screen shot from Delta.com. #JustSayin ;)

What does that matter? I took a screen shot of the Delta page which clearly indicates where it's from and then created from there. Hell, I even left the copyright on the bottom of the page which gave Delta their citation. Stealing someone's original content for your blog without attribution is quite different.

Sir (or Madam). Unlike your person attack, I did NOT steal your original content on my blog or publish it. Nor did I take sides in this as clearly posted. All I pointed out was that your efforts to claim ownership of a work from Delta.com is lost in your argument.

I will accept an apology if offered. ^

huh??? what "personal attack" did CMK give? you probably should re-read what he said before going off on him

He will accept an apology if offered. ^

you should look up "fair use" and "parody"... i'll let those with a more legal background explain it, but yes he CAN claim ownership of his work, even when the original image was created by delta. so your point is pretty off base

When are you due back in 19th Century Britain?

Other fair use issues aside, the parody issue is complicated by the fact that CMK10 used the copyrighted material of one party (Delta) to mock another party (United).

The US Supreme Court has held that "the heart of any parodist's claim to quote from existing material, is the use of some elements of a prior author's composition to create a new one that, at least in part, comments on that author's works." Perhaps some intrepid law student can discuss further :p

Did you have to offer an apology to Delta?

If I recall correctly, CMK10 is qualified in that area.

You recall correctly.

I'm qualified as a law student, yes. But I have to admit I know nothing about copyright law yet. So I think I'll act unlawyerly and admit I don't know the answer.

But what I do know is that theft of something stolen is still theft. "It was already stolen" is not an affirmative defense.

Using images in your blog [split off from BAs Fall]
 

I've only needed to use hotel photos once from the Peninsula Chicago and got the photos from the media kit and had to fill a form to get the file. In the photo caption I credited the hotel.

I think for most of us life is too short to do this, especially when doing multiple posts per day.

My view is that if you are using an official company image which has been released into the world for use then you are OK. British Airways is never going to complain that I have used an image which they supplied to other publications, and no hotel is going to complain if I promote their property with images they release.

I always avoid using anything taken by a private individual.

My daily stats reveal sometimes reveal from which website(s) someone came to BmB.

The latest is something about living in Jakarta. The author took a photo from my blog, but gave me credit. In this case, I don't have an issue.

The difference of course is that United Airlines isn't run by the founder of Flyertalk, and their planes are not flown primarily by (ex) Flyertalk members ;)

That makes BoardingArea (and most P&M bloggers) even more fascinating-er, innit?

Whether they are a "commercial venture" or "consumer advocates" or "pseudo journalism" or "click bait hacks" one thing they certainly are is points and miles service providers. Which is the core of what we talk about on FlyerTalk.