Can I use pictures of celebrities on my blog?
June 4, 2023 | 30,00 EUR | answered by Chloé Tressel
Dear lawyer,
I run a blog where I report on current topics in the fields of fashion, lifestyle, and celebrities. In order to visually enhance my posts, I would like to use images of celebrities. However, I have concerns about whether this is legally allowed and whether I may be committing copyright infringement.
Currently, I use images of celebrities that I find through Google search or social media platforms like Instagram. I publish the images in my posts without obtaining permission from the respective creators. Now I am wondering if this violates copyright law and if I may face legal consequences.
My concern is that I could be warned or even sued if the creators of the images notice my unauthorized use. At the same time, I want to continue to enhance my posts with appealing visual material and promote interaction with my readers through visual elements.
Could you please provide me with legally sound information on whether and under what conditions I may use images of celebrities in my blog? Are there ways to use images legally without committing copyright infringement? I want to ensure that I can continue to run my blog professionally without taking legal risks.
Thank you in advance for your help and advice.
Sincerely,
Jonas Lindenberg
Dear Mr. Lindenberg,
Thank you for your inquiry regarding the use of images of celebrities on your blog in relation to copyright. It is understandable that you are concerned about possible legal consequences if you use images without the permission of the copyright holders. I will provide you with detailed information on this topic below.
In general, all images are subject to copyright, which means that the creators have the sole right to decide how their works are used. This also applies to images of celebrities created by photographers or other creators. If you use these images without the permission of the copyright holders, you are committing a copyright infringement.
In your case, if you find images of celebrities through Google search or social media platforms like Instagram, it does not automatically mean that you are allowed to use these images without permission. In these cases as well, you must seek the approval of the copyright holders before publishing the images on your blog. Otherwise, you risk legal consequences such as warnings or lawsuits for copyright infringement.
However, there are ways to use images legally without committing copyright infringements. One option is to use royalty-free images, which you can purchase on specialized platforms such as Shutterstock or Adobe Stock. There, you can be sure that you are allowed to use the images lawfully after acquiring a license.
Another option is to use images under the Creative Commons license, which allows artists to provide their works for free under certain conditions. However, you must also adhere to the terms of the respective license to ensure that you are using the images properly.
In any case, I recommend that you always seek permission from the copyright holders before using images on your blog or rely on images that have been acquired lawfully. This way, you can ensure that you do not commit copyright infringements and avoid legal risks.
I hope this information is helpful to you and I am available for any further questions.
Best regards,
Chloé Tressel
