Stock Imagery on Websites or Posters being used right

An interesting story came up this morning with two policital parties in Northern Ireland using a stock image to endorse their campaigns.

As you can see from these 2 Posters, that they are using the same model to pubically edorse their message.  Despite their massive budgets, they forgot to check if a stock image can be used to endorse a policital party.  Which is cant!

Stock imagery is massive for graphic designers and companies.  Its cheap and solves the problem of getting good photography to promote their message.  However, without the knowledge of the rights of stock image, it can get you into trouble.

The company used is Istock Photo.  A company we ourselves used for clients both online and offline design.

The BBC Website states; " The list of terms and conditions on the istockphoto website states these pictures cannot be used in a way that "depicts personal endorsement by model".

It specifies that it is prohibited to use models in such a way that it would lead "a reasonable person" to think the model personally endorses any cause.

The only exception is where the picture is accompanied by a statement that explains the content is being used for illustrative purposes only and that the person depicted is a model.

A spokeswoman for istockphoto said: "We care deeply about the correct usage of the images licensed on our site and our compliance team will be investigating this matter, as it does others such as this."

She suggested the parties may not have been aware they could have been breaching the terms saying "we caution against a blanket assumption of malicious intent".

However, she said anyone using the company's service should be aware of the rules.

"People really should read carefully the terms of service on any contract they sign, or checkbox they tick off."