How to monitor copyright infringements?

[puzopia]

I agree with the "preventative" measures, but they are limited. It's like putting an alarm system on your house. Those that want it badly enough will get in. I am in IT and I know for a fact that there is NO WAY to completely stop someone from taking an image that is online. Sad but true.

 

[Derrel]

TinEye Image Search Engine - Idée Inc. - The Visual Search Company

Here's the way the big guys track images and search for unauthorized usage,even on images that have been altered.

 

[bcshort]

Thanks to everyone for their advice.

After some Tineye searches I am trying to decide if I should be happy not to find any results for the images, or sad because no one thinks they are worth copying

Cheers

 

[Battou]

Mike hit the first thing to do - limit the sizes online. A smaller size limits the potential for the image to be used by a thief. Some people also watermark their images, personally I don't view a watermark which covers the whole image as a good move - it hides what you trying to show and a determined theif can remove the effect in most cases.

Better (I think) is to have a smaller watermark with your name and/or website listed - that way if your image is stolen you get free advertising (provided of course they don't just remove that as well).

As for checking online Tineye is a growing website which can earch through images on the net and compare your shot to the others it finds - giving you a list of responces when it finds your image.
TinEye Reverse Image Search

However it is not complete yet - the internet is a very big and ever growing thing, so its not got every image on the net - yet

I use tin eye all the time wile investigating Copy Vios on fan art Central, Though incomplete it is still the most accurate and easiest to use. I've found and removed quite a few Copy Vios and banned several dozen users for art theft through the use of that search engine.