Tek-Bull

Timeline Images: A Cover Photo With A Copyright Infringement Hidden Weapon

The timeline feature that was released in the latest Facebook update brought with it a new “cover photo” area that really changed the Facebook wall experience over night. People across the internet started to look for new creative ways to express their “life” using images. Now to facilitate the process, Timeline Images is going to start selling you pictures that cost as little as $1.00. But really, what’s the point of selling an image for a buck since Shutterstock already sells images for cheaper? Well, they claim that timeline images only caters to one type of customers – Facebook users – and their pictures are going to be “unique” to the facebook experience.

The cool thing about this type of business model is that facebook is going to change again, eventually the “cover photo” will change to something different, and when it does, you will be forced to purchase a new image and license fee. But what’s the dirty little secret? I mean, what kind of person would spend money on an image so they can modify their facebook appearance? I know I wouldn’t,  but I also know that if I manage to get my hands on an AWESOME cover photo, I can guarantee you that some of my friends will steal it and use it on their profiles… AND THAT’S going to be Timeline Images’ secret weapon.

Think, Getty Images, the stock photo company that scours the internet in search of images that belong to Getty, and then they file a copyright infringement law suit on anyone who uses their images without their consent. This is exactly what I picture Timeline Images doing in the future, think about it, if they manage to get an image to go viral on Facebook and a couple hundred people share and use the image, all they need to do is scour the facebook timelines in search of their images and then slap their users with a copyright infringement law suit.

Now, of course this is just speculation, but when Getty Images started to pull off the Copyright card from underneath the table, no one really suspected a thing until it was to late. I’m going to give Timeline Images my benefit of the doubt, but don’t say I didn’t tell you so when and IF it happens.

[Timeline Images via PetaPixel]