Getty Images has built up on its previous collaboration with image recognition specialist company PicScout by acquiring the Israel-based entreprise. PicScout offers a series of services to photographers to track the use of their images, as well as provide copyright information to viewers.

One such product is the ImageIRC platform, which uses an online tool installed by image buyers that automatically adds an icon to images featured on a website if they have been registered with PicScout. The icon allows for the buyer to gain immediate access to image credit information.

According to Nick Evans-Lombe, chief operating officer at Getty Images, the acquisition will result in the expansion of the PicScout's business "to the benefit of our contributors, image partners and customers." He adds that it makes strategic sense for Getty Images to welcome the PicScout brand in the leading stock agency's portfolio, allowing Getty to enhance "our ability to protect creators' copyrights."

Evans-Lombe also expects that the acquisition will add "some interesting technology to our suite of tools and enhance our ability to develop new products and services for our customers in the future."

Getty Images plans on keeping the PicScout brand. "It's not in Getty Images' interest to lose any PicScout customers," says Evans-Lombe. "We want to continue to work with all of them. They will continue to receive the same great service and benefits of working with PicScout as they now experience." However, he adds, Getty Images plans on bringing its own expertise in protecting its contributors' intellectual property - the stock agency and image library has a dedicated team focused solely on tracking infringement of its copyrights.

Evans-Lombe says that PicScout customers will benefit from that team's work. "The information gathered by PicScout relates solely to identifying the potential unlicensed use of an image," he says. "Working together with our dedicated team we expect to help improve all PicScout customers' ability to successfully pursue un-authorized use cases. Additionally, the Getty Images team that works with PicScout is a discreet team and no PicScout data will be shared with Getty Images' regular sales teams."

PicScout has existing systems and procedures to protect this data, according to Evans-Lombe. "We plan to continue to invest in these efforts, maintaining PicScout as a stand-alone service and providing customers with confidence that their data is only being used in a permitted matter."

BJP also understands that Getty Images plans to expand the PicScout brand across new content types, such as footage and music.

The acquisition comes after five years of Getty Images being PicScout's largest customer - primarily via the ImageTracker product. Getty had also used the PicApp product - now discontinued - that allowed bloggers to legally use copyrighted photos, packaged with advertisements.

Getty Images has also announced its acquisition of Photolibrary, a Sydney-based provider of creative stills imagery. "Photolibrary brings to Getty Images a broad range of versatile content, with regional as well as global appeal, including renowned collections such as Peter Arnold and Oxford Scientific," says Getty Images. "Photolibrary's content will be licensed through Getty Images' global distribution platform, which enables search in local languages and single image purchases in local currencies."

Getty Images also expects to benefit from Photolibrary's established presence in India, the Middle East and Southeast Asia to expand its operations in those regions.

For more information, visit gettyimages.com.