Google just made downloading images very difficult

Getty Images had filed a complaint against Google in 2016 stating that the search engine was promoting piracy

After a settlement between Getty Images and Google, the “View Image” tab has been removed from Google's image search window.

“The Visit button remains, so users can see images in the context of the web pages they're on,” the company said in a tweet.

Today we're launching some changes on Google Images to help connect users and useful websites. This will include removing the View Image button. The Visit button remains, so users can see images in the context of the webpages they're on. pic.twitter.com/n76KUj4ioD

— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) February 15, 2018

Getty Images had filed a complaint against Google to the European Union in 2016 stating that the search engine's images feature was promoting piracy.



"Getty Images represents over 200,000 photojournalists, content creators and artists around the world who rely on us to protect their ability to be compensated for their work," Getty Images' General Counsel Yoko Miyashita said in a statement.

"Google's behaviour is adversely affecting not only our contributors but the lives and livelihoods of artists around the world, present, and future."

Ensuring a fair marketplace: why we're lending our voice to proceedings against Google: https://t.co/MKnR3BxzDP #WorldIPDay

— Getty Images (@GettyImages) April 26, 2016

The “search by image” feature will soon be removed while you will still be able to drag and drop an image in the search bar to look for the similar images.

The Search by Image button is also being removed. Reverse image search *still works* through the way most people use it, from the search bar of Google Images.

— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) February 15, 2018

Ultimately, Google Images is a way for people to discover information in cases where browsing images is a better experience than text. Having a single button that takes people to actionable information about the image is good for users, web publishers and copyright holders.

— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) February 15, 2018

Some frustrated users took to Twitter to express their helplessness and anger at the loss of this feature.

The worst part is, Getty images already take you to the website if you click View Image. They already had that set up for themselves. They're just ruining it for everything else now.

— Cee Monster (@cee_jaaaaay) February 16, 2018

Addendum: Not ruined yet. "Save image / open image in new tab" still work fine on the preview, at least for now. So this has been downgraded to "minor annoyance".

— Cee Monster (@cee_jaaaaay) February 16, 2018

But why?
There is no reason for this.

— Crushing on Momiji 🐝 (@_HoneyFingers_) February 16, 2018

terrible idea! 😠
I'm almost never interested in the original webpage when searching for an image; I want instead to access the image directly

— George M 🇪🇺 (@EXDE601E) February 15, 2018

I dislike this change

— Chriss Alex (@Cristi178) February 16, 2018

While some are stating the obvious for both Google and Getty Images.

If someone wants to steal a photo they can do it without using view image. There are more advanced and easy to learn ways. Ex: on a protected site you can use inspect element to find the exact url that the image you want is being kept on and then download from there.

— Milkac (@NikolaMilisic99) February 16, 2018

right click magic 😉

— DaisyHead (@dazyhead) February 16, 2018

I have come to the conclusion it isn't entirely your fault. Blame @GettyImages

— D (@DragonMetalhead) February 15, 2018

I know you were forced to make this decision but its very sad

— PrinceNiels (@PrinceNielsi) February 16, 2018