Even Google uses images without permission

Keyword: onlinejournalism. Given all the publicity attracted by copyright breaches regarding music and film online, it's funny that images never get the same attention. Using images on the web without copyright clearance is so widespread as to be almost normal practice - but it's still illegal, and you can still get sued.

So it's interesting to see that Google News is being sued by Agence France Presse for displaying its images (and, for that matter, headlines) without permission. Of course Google use the images and headlines so that browsers can click through to the AFP site, so it's not as if they're claiming them as their own, but it's very much a case worth watching.