Getty Images hits Google with lawsuit for 'promoting piracy'

US-based stock photo agency Getty Images released an open letter on Friday, April 27, criticizing tech giant Google for "siphoning off (web) traffic and promoting piracy".

Getty Images filed a competition law complaint versus Google in the European Union, accusing the company of monopoly and other unfair practices.

"Today, on behalf of content creators around the world, Getty Images has taken a significant step to protect the livelihoods of photographers and ensure a fair online marketplace for all. We have filed a competition law complaint against search engine Google Inc. in the European Union," wrote Yoko Miyashita, Senior Vice President, General Counsel, Getty Images.

Miyashita continued: "Our complaint focuses specifically on changes made to Google Images in 2013, which have impacted the competitiveness of our business by siphoning off traffic and promoting piracy – to the detriment of the 200,000 contributors who rely on us to earn a living.

"On a broader scale, this has impacted the interests of content creators around the world, allowing Google not only to profit from their work, but also to reinforce its role as the internet’s dominant search engine and thus maintain its monopoly power."

Miyashita further explained in her letter that Google's practices are threatening creativity and innovation. It takes years to acquire photography skills that would lead to commercial success and aside from time, photographers invest money in gear among other things.

"Their craft is their livelihood and they rely on a fair marketplace to fund the creation of new content," she said.

Getty Images had raised the issue with Google in 2013 when it first rolled out a feature that enabled users to view high-resolution, large format photos through Google Images.

According to Getty Images, the Google's shift from low-resolution thumbnails as preview to their current "captive, image-rich environment" has diverted traffic away from the original source of the photos.

"When Getty Images first raised concerns with Google three years ago, Google’s proposed solution was no solution at all: accept its presentation of our images, or opt-out of image search," Miyashita explained.

A video explaining the harm Google Images' current practices was also shared by Getty Images:

<iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/134243936" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" webkitallowfullscreen mozallowfullscreen allowfullscreen></iframe>

As an alternative, Getty Images promoted their embed tool, which they described as legal alternative to the right click. The embed tool ensures that there is proper attribution to the source of the image.

Times Magazine additionally reports that Getty Images' complaints come on the heels of the European Union’s antitrust commission accusing Google of "using unfair practices to promote its own services on Android devices."

According to the BBC, European competition commissioner Margrethe Vestager said on April 20 that Google is denying consumers "a wider choice of mobile apps and services and stands in the way of innovation by other players, in breach of EU antitrust rules." — Aya Tantiangco/TJD, GMA News