Getty Images Demand Letters in the UK: what they are, how to avoid them, and what to do if one lands
If you run a website in the UK, there is a fair chance you will see a copyright demand letter sooner or later. Many small site owners open an email that looks very official, full of legal language, and demanding hundreds or even thousands of pounds for a single image. Getty Images letters are the most talked about.
On the surface, it feels like do not argue, just pay. The reality is messier. Plenty of people get caught without meaning to; the numbers in the letters often look inflated compared to real-world licence fees, and UK cases rarely end up in front of a judge. This guide explains how people get caught, what the letters are trying to achieve, what usually happens in the UK, and how to protect yourself without losing sleep.
How UK site owners get caught out
It is easy to say, just do not use Getty Images. The problem is you might be using them without realising.
- Free templates. That nice free theme came with images baked in. You assumed they were safe. They were not.
- “Royalty-free” sites of dubious quality. Some host re uploads of agency shots by random users. You grab one in good faith, months later, an image robot spots it.
- Merchant and affiliate feeds. If you use a feed, the merchant may have pushed an image they had no right to. You still carry the risk on your own site.
- Old forum posts and blogs. Historic content gets scraped and republished. Years later, it ends up on your server, and now it is your problem.
Most people are not trying to nick photos. Images get recycled across the web and later become a lever to demand money from small publishers.
The letters are scary on purpose
People who receive them often say the letters look like court paperwork. Strong wording, tight deadlines, talk of escalating costs. The sums demanded can dwarf what a realistic image licence would have cost.
That tone is deliberate. It is designed to make you pay quickly for a quiet life. Some letters even offer a “discount” if you pay at once, which feels more like pressure than a fair invoice.
Important point for the UK. A scary letter is not the same as a solid legal claim. Damages in the UK would need to be proven and are usually linked to market value, not whatever a template letter states.
What to do if you get a Getty Images demand letter in the UK
First, do not panic. These letters go out in bulk and usually never lead to a County Court claim.
- Identify the image
Read the letter carefully and confirm what image they mean. Mistakes happen. - Remove it at once
Delete it from your site and server, and replace it with something safe. Your own photo, a clearly licensed Creative Commons image, or a freshly generated AI image are all options. - Choose your response style
There are two common approaches in the UK.- Ignore it completely. Many UK website owners have binned these letters and heard nothing more. County Court claims are rare because filing fees and solicitor time can outweigh any realistic damages on a small image.
- Send a short, firm reply. Others prefer to close it off in writing. For example:
We have removed the image referred to. We reject your invoice as excessive and unenforceable. Should you wish to pursue the matter further, please issue a claim through the County Court. Otherwise, we consider the matter closed.
This shows you acted responsibly, rejects the inflated demand, and puts the next move on them. In practice, escalation is uncommon. That probably the last you will hear of it.
- Do not rush to pay
Courts look at fair market value. If a licence would have cost £30, that is the sort of number a judge will look at, not four figures from a template letter. - Keep a paper trail
Save the letter, keep screenshots before and after removal, and file any emails. It shows prompt and sensible behaviour. - Get advice if you are worried
If letters continue after removal, or if you want peace of mind, speak to a UK solicitor. There are also communities and forums where people share their experiences with these demands.
UK law versus the scare tactics
In simple terms, for a copyright claim to succeed in the UK, a claimant generally needs to show they own the work, that it is protected, that you copied it, and what the loss or value is. UK courts do not hand out random fines. They look at the going rate.
Higher awards are possible where behaviour is judged flagrant. That usually means deliberate copying, repeated conduct, ignoring take-down requests, or commercial gain with clear knowledge. An old blog image used by mistake is a different category from bootlegging a front-page news photo.
None of this is a licence to be sloppy. It is a reminder that UK outcomes are usually proportionate to real value. Anything you read online that relates to the US often doesn’t apply here. Nobody is being charged five grand for an image the size of a fag packet here.
Getty Images: The ethics question
Even if a rights holder is within the letter of the law, many people dislike heavy-handed tactics against small businesses and bloggers. It looks like chasing easy targets who cannot afford to fight, while the largest platforms are left alone. Photographers deserve to be paid. The debate is about method, tone, and proportionality.
Safer alternatives to Getty Images for UK websites
Reputable free stock libraries
Unsplash, Pexels and Pixabay allow free commercial use on very clear terms. Check the licence on each site and keep a note of the URL and date you downloaded.
Take your own photos
Modern phone cameras are more than good enough for most web needs. If you took it, you own it.
Buy from straightforward paid libraries
If you want certainty, buy from a reputable library with simple terms and keep the invoice and licence copy with the image.
Use AI image generation sensibly
Tools such as DALL·E, Midjourney, Grok and Stable Diffusion can produce unique images quickly. The legal landscape around training data is still evolving, but for a UK small site, the risk profile is very different to accidentally using an agency image. Keep prompts and outputs on file, and avoid prompts that aim to mimic a living artist’s distinctive style.
Practical safeguards to avoid future grief
- Keep a central log of every third-party image: source, URL, date, licence terms, and a screenshot of the licence page (although nobody will do this).
- Remove or replace images in old posts that you cannot document.
- Disable hotlinking in your hosting if possible.
- Brief freelancers and contributors in writing about image sourcing rules.
- Use photos of your own products, shop, or team instead of generic stock images whenever you can.
Closing thoughts for dealing with Getty Images demands in the UK
Nobody is arguing that creators should not be paid. The problem is when automated scraping and frightening letters are used to squeeze small UK publishers for inflated sums that bear little relation to market value. You do not have to play that game. Use safer sources, keep records, and if a letter lands, remove the image and choose whether to ignore it or send a short, firm reply. In the vast majority of UK cases, that is where it ends. Ignore US-centric claptrap you might read on Reddit and such places. US-centric advice is mostly irrelevant here for this type of thing. Our legal system is somewhat more sensible.
There is no need to be bullied by large and greedy companies. You can take them on.
Important note
This article is general information for UK readers and reflects UK practice. It is not legal advice. If you want advice on your specific situation, speak to a UK solicitor.
Have you had a demand letter from Getty Images? Tell us in the comments below.