Google Made A Small Change To Image Search, But It's A Big Deal

Google SearchLiaison@searchliaison

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.

1:23 AM - Feb 16, 2018

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Now users are encouraged to visit the website where the image is hosted, which in theory should drive traffic to the image’s owner or copyright holder.

Photo agency Getty Images filed a complaint with the European Commission in 2016 arguing that the function promoted piracy, making it easier for people to acquire high resolution, copyrighted images they were not authorized to use.

Google admitted those concerns did play a role in its decision to remove the feature.

“These changes came about in part due to our settlement with Getty Images this week,” Google said Thursday via their Search Liason Twitter account.

But fear not, JPEG and GIF junkies. You can still find and save the original image by clicking on the thumbnail in the search results, then right-clicking the image and selecting “Open Image in New Tab.” There you’ll find the original you would have found using the recently deceased “View Image” button.