Have you found your picture being used online and want to discover more sources? Or do you want to randomly detect who is using your images for personal purposes? If so, this guide is going to be invaluable for you. It not only covers the best method to detect unauthorized use but also discusses what to do after catching the offenders. Along with that, we will also share some tips for preventing future image theft. So, let’s get started.
How To Detect Unauthorized Use Of Your Pictures?
Knowing who is using your pictures without your permission is the first provocative measure. However, let’s be honest: “Can you sift through every page of the internet to trace the illegal use of your images?” Your answer would be “No, of course not.” However, that doesn’t mean that you can track the unauthorized use of personal photos.
The technology has evolved enough to provide you with a smart and reliable solution for this purpose. Here, we are referring to face recognition technology that can make an in-depth analysis of facial features. Many advanced tools have been developed using the power of this technology. They are usually known as face search tools.
They can help you track the sources featuring the images you didn’t permit them to use. But getting the right tool can be a tricky part. Why? Because there are such tools out there. That’s why we have researched and gathered the best tools that let you search by face. Let’s look at them.
SmallSEOTools—Face Search
SmallSEOTools offers a free Face Search tool that uses advanced facial recognition technology to scan the web for matches to a given face. To track the misuse of your images, you just need to provide a reference photo of yours. For better results, input an HD and cropped version that perfectly shows your face. As you do so, it shows you the categorized matches. It also allows extracting matching faces from 7 different databases, which further increases the chances of detecting illegal use of your photographs.
Key Features:
- No cost for source navigation.
- Accessible through all devices.
- AI-powered face scanning and matching.
- Covers all the major search engines.
- Offers multiple options for inputting your image.
FaceSeek.online
FaceSeek.online is a specialized platform dedicated solely to face search. It focuses on finding identical or visually similar faces from publicly available online images. It identifies even partially matching or altered photos, making it useful when someone uses your pictures by slightly editing them. For every match, it gives an accurate URL, enabling you to navigate to the sources and see in which context they have uploaded your images.
Key Features:
- Supports multiple image formats.
- Offers a reasonable free version.
- Doesn’t require a sign-up before use.
- Doesn’t store or share your pictures.
FaceSearchai.com
FaceSearcai.com has recently gained prominence among face search tools and has started appearing on top searches. This shows that people are finding it helpful to trace the origins of where their images are being used unauthorizedly. So, if others are taking advantage of this tool, you must also exploit its potential. However, keep in mind that it just shows the matches for free. To get access to matching sources, you have to buy its premium subscription.
Key Features:
- Gives you a personal dashboard.
- Saves your search history for later use.
- Also available as a mobile application
- Shows no ads around the matches.
How To Prevent Future Misuse Of Your Images?
Here are some of the effective tips to avoid future image theft:
- Adjust Social Media Privacy: First of all, limit who can view your photographs on social media. Use privacy options like “Friends Only” to ensure that no one except the trusted people sees your images. This reduces the risk of image misuse.
- Embed Ownership In Metadata: Secondly, include your ownership details in the picture metadata. While it can be removed, it acts as an extra layer of security, enabling you to use it as proof against the offender.
- Disable Right-Click Downloads: If you have a personal blog or run a site where you upload your pictures, don’t enable right-click on them. Along with that, you can also restrict visitors from taking screenshots using plugins or custom code.
- Think Before Sharing Images Online: Remember, the more photos you have on the internet, the greater the risk of them being stolen. So, think twice before uploading any picture online, and share it only when it is truly necessary.
What To Do After Detecting Photo Misuse?
Once you have found different sources making misuse of your images, here are the actions you need to take:
- Send Removal Request: Your first step should be sending a respectful request to the source to remove your images. For this purpose, you can either make a direct call, email, or use other available contact options.
- Report To The Platform: If the offender doesn’t respond, report the violation to the respective website or social media platform. Nearly all popular image-hosting channels take serious action against such profiles or sources.
- File A DMCA Takedown: This is the next step that requires you to contact the hosting provider or search engine to report the illegal use of your images. As a result, your picture automatically gets removed from the search results and websites.
- Take A Final Legal Step: If none of the above practices stop the offending sources, you must take legal action against them. It may also be necessary for repeated or severe misuse of your images, especially when it causes financial loss or reputation damage.
To Sum Up
After going through this guide, we hope that you have learned how to find out whether someone is using your picture illegally or not. Apart from that, all the necessary precautions and defensive actions should also be clear to you. So now, we expect that you will not only find the offenders but also take the right step to stop unauthorized use of your images.