Getty Images Causes Google to Remove “View Image” Button from Search Results

Cernescu Andrei / 7 years ago

The View Image button in Google Images is no more.

If you were relying on Google Images for your daily imaging needs, we have some bad news for you. Following a dispute with Getty Images, Google has decided to remove the “View Image” button altogether. This button allowed users to view images without actually having to visit the website that hosts them. While saving time, the button also allowed data-conscious users to save up by not having to load an entire website. Another important change involves the removal of the resolution search button.

Google explains its decision.

Following the changes, Google has issued a statement in which it explains its decision:

“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.”

The company also admitted that the action was influenced partly by a recent settlement with Getty Images.

For those asking, yes, these changes came about in part due to our settlement with Getty Images this week (see also https://t.co/a5uFldOcih). They are designed to strike a balance between serving user needs and publisher concerns, both stakeholders we value.

— Google SearchLiaison (@searchliaison) February 15, 2018

Some users have begun to take action in order to bring the button back. A recent extension named Make Google Image Search Great Again has recently surfaced for both Firefox and Google Chrome. One thing that the extension doesn’t fix is the resolution search functionality. However, since the source code is publicly available, this might change soon.

Of course, you could always use a different search engine such as Bing, but that’s not likely to happen is it?

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