Getty Images joins the list of companies lobbying against Google's dominance in the online search market. Tech Times earlier reported on the coalition of companies that seeks legal action against Google for allegedly breaking antitrust rules in Europe, the United States of America, and other regions.
Photography company Getty Images has released a statement confirming that a formal complaint has been filed against Google with the European Commission, to investigate Google's anti-competitive practices.
Getty Images is questioning the search functionality of Google, which it claims is hurting its image licensing business. In 2013, Google started displaying high-resolution photos owned by Getty and other similar businesses on its own search results engine. Getty argues that because image consumption is immediate, giving the public instant access to high-resolution photos in large format decreases traffic in their website, as well as other original image sites.
According to Getty, Google has turned users into "accidental pirates" by making Getty images available for quick download while discounting existing copyright and intellectual property laws.
Getty Images' general counsel Yoko Miyashita said the company represents over 200,000 photojournalists, content creators, and artists around the world who rely on the company to protect their work, as well as receive appropriate compensation.
"Google's behavior is adversely affecting not only our contributors, but the lives and livelihoods of artists around the word [sic], present and future," says Miyashita.
Getty also slams Google for threatening innovation and abusing its dominant position by monopolizing the image marketplace. Getty said that by siphoning traffic, Google is directly hurting artists who need to earn a living and fund their future works.
In an interview with Times, Miyashita divulged that Getty Images had attempted to resolve the issue with Google but after three fruitless years, it finally decided to launch an official complaint to the antitrust commission.
"Google's proposed solution [was to] accept its presentation of images, or opt-out of image search," Miyashita said.
In an official statement, Getty Images appeals to other photographers and the image industry to join its battle against Google "to defend intellectual property and ensure a fair marketplace for content creators."
Photo: Carlos Luna | Flickr
