If you use photos or graphics on your website, you should be interested in policing the unauthorized use of your works by your competitors. It is not uncommon for unscrupulous vendors to pilfer and use the photos and artwork of others to sell their own goods.  A free and simple to use online tool is now available to catch such copyright infringements.

As reported by CorpCounsel.com, photographer Jason Wilder has created the Copyright Infringement Finder (CIF), a free add-on for the Firefox browser. The CIF add-on uses Google’s image-searching technology and allows owners of images to right-click on an image in the Firefox browser window to find other sites that are using that same image. As long as you know what sites should be using your images, you can quickly scan the CIF results for potential infringement.

Wilder first released the tool in the summer of 2011, and it has now been downloaded nearly 2,000 times. According to Wilder, many users have contacted him to express their gratitude. As he explains:

“A lot of people are misled and go by, ‘If it’s on the Internet it’s fair game to use for whatever,’ and sadly it will be like that for a long time. But the more photographers go after copyright theft and seek for damages, the more people and corporations get educated from the mistakes they made when they have to pay out thousands instead of, say, paying a $50 fee for a one-time use.”

The CIF add-on is available free for Firefox.

How Can I Help?

If you, or someone you know, need any help with Intellectual Property issues, from filing a patent, trademark or copyright, or just need advice regarding how best to protect your inventions, ideas or your brand, please contact me for a free 30 minute consultation at nvantreeck@usip.com or call TOLL FREE at 1-855-UR IDEAS (1-855-874-3327) and ask for Norman.

– Ex astris, scientia –

I am and avid amateur astronomer and intellectual property attorney in Pasadena, California and I am a Rising Star as rated by Super Lawyers Magazine.  As a former Chief Petty Officer in the U.S. Navy, I am a proud member of the Armed Service Committee of the Los Angeles County Bar Association working to aid all active duty and veterans in our communities. Connect with me on Google +

Norman