We Received a Copyright Demand Letter. Here’s How We Survived It.
If you run a nonprofit, blog, or small research platform, this could save you thousands of dollars.
One afternoon, we received an email that made our stomachs drop.
A law firm was contacting us on behalf of a major international news agency. They claimed one image on our website violated copyright law. They attached a formal “demand letter” with legal citations, threats of statutory damages, and a tight deadline for a response.
If you’ve ever received one of these letters from firms working with PicRights, AFP, Getty Images, or stock photo agencies, you know the feeling: panic, confusion, and fear of being sued.
We run a small science platform. We don’t sell images. We don’t run ads. We weren’t trying to profit from anyone’s work. But suddenly we were staring down a copyright enforcement operation that handles thousands of cases a year.
Here’s what we learned and what every nonprofit should know before writing a check.
What these copyright demand letters really are
Many of these claims don’t come directly from the photographer. They come from image-enforcement companies that work on a contingency basis. Their business model is simple:
- Scan the web for unlicensed images
- Send mass demand letters
- Ask for four-figure settlements
- Rely on fear to get quick payments
This isn’t inherently illegal. But it is aggressively optimized for pressure rather than fairness. That means nonprofits, bloggers, and small publishers are often charged the same as corporations even when the use is non-commercial and editorial.
The mistake most organizations make
The most common response is:
“We used it accidentally — here’s our credit card.”
That’s exactly what the enforcement model is built around.
But copyright law is not that simple.
The law looks at:
- How the image was used
- Whether it was commercial
- Whether it was transformative
- Whether it harmed the market for the photo
A single image on a free educational blog is not the same as using it in an ad campaign or on a product page.
What actually helped us
We did four things that changed the outcome.
1. We removed the image immediately
This shows good faith and reduces potential damages.
2. We stayed calm
We didn’t argue emotionally or threaten each other. We kept our replies factual, short, and professional.
3. We corrected their assumptions
Enforcement firms often assume that “website = commercial.” That isn’t true. A free blog post is not a product.
4. We negotiated
These letters almost always start high. They are designed to. But they are negotiable, especially for nonprofits and editorial uses.
The key is to respond, not to panic.
What nonprofits should do if they get a PicRights or AFP demand
If this happens to you:
Step 1: Remove the image
Step 2: Do not admit wrongdoing
Step 3: Ask what specific page and image they are referencing
Step 4: Clarify whether that page is actually commercial
Step 5: Offer a reasonable resolution
Step 6: Get any settlement in writing
Most of these cases are resolved without lawsuits when handled calmly and factually.
How to avoid this in the future
After this experience, we changed how we handle images:
- We only use Creative Commons, licensed stock, or original images (try Pixabay or Unsplash)
- We avoid embedding images from unknown sources
- We track image sources in our CMS
- We use tools that surface license information
That one change alone is worth more than any settlement.
Why we’re sharing this
Nonprofits, researchers, and small publishers are under enormous financial pressure. Copyright enforcement firms know this. Many organizations overpay simply because they don’t know they have options.
We can’t share the specific terms of our resolution, but we can share this:
You are not powerless.
You are allowed to ask questions.
And you are allowed to negotiate.
If this post helps even one nonprofit avoid a panic payment, it was worth writing.
If you’d like more practical guidance on running a nonprofit, publishing responsibly, or protecting your organization while doing public-interest work, subscribe to our newsletter at PubTrawlr.
