ARE YOUR PICTURES LEGAL?

I used Google images all the time. Google images is so easy to use and if you can't find the picture you want using Google images, then it isn't available.  When using Google images, you can filter which images that are available freely for commercial or non commercial purposes right on your search results page. 

Once at Images, click on Search tools

Then click on Usage rights

Click the drop down menu for Usage rights.  That menu offers five choices: Not filtered by license, Labeled for reuse, Labeled for commercial reuse, Labeled for reuse with modification, and Labeled for commercial reuse with modification.  Select the option you wish to use, and the page refreshes to include only those images.

What do these five options mean?

1. Not filtered by license - This means that you haven't yet selected a type of filter to organize the photos by. Basically, you are looking at all types of photos with all types of usage rights. This is how you can get in trouble when selecting images that are really authorized for use. To find a photo that you can legally use, make sure to select something other than the "not filtered by license" option.
2. Labeled for reuse for modification - This means that you can use the photo commercially or non commercially as long as you modify it. 
3. Labeled for reuse - Users can reuse the photo commercially or non commercially as is.  No modification is needed.
4. Labeled for non commercial reuse with modification - This means that you can use the photo in a non commercial way as long as you modify the image.  Non commercial means that you cannot have the photo on products or be part of a business.
5. Labeled for non commercial reuse - This means that you can use the photo in a non commercial manner as is.  No modification is necessary.