Facebook Testing Tool That Lets Users Claim Rights Over Images, Issue Takedown Requests

Facebook is currently testing a tool that will let users take ownership of their photos, a report says.

Facebook has announced a new tool called Rights Manager for Images, which will help creators “protect and manage their image content at scale.” This new tool, which was developed with the help of some unnamed partners, will help users claim ownership over the images they post across the social media giant​'s platforms, including Instagram, The Verge reported.

Facebook’s Rights Manager allows users to monitor where their images are shared and also lets them issue takedown requests to prevent unauthorized users from sharing or reposting their images without permission. The feature will also allow users to limit sharing to certain regions, meaning that while the image isn't taken down, it won't be visible to other users in certain locations.

Facebook didn't say that the new feature will automatically give users ownership of every image they have posted on the main app and on Instagram. Instead, creators will need to go through a certain procedure to be able to gain ownership of their images and thereby be granted the privilege to monitor where they are shared and to take them down when desired.

According to Facebook, creators will first need to submit an application for the "content they've created and want to protect." They'll need to provide the name and email address of the person who will hold “primary rights” to the images, choose what type of rights owner they are (e.g., individual creator, content aggregator, etc.), describe the content they normally post and so on.

Facebook will also ask creators who wish to protect their content a few more things, such as how often they publish content, if their page has an online presence elsewhere and if they previously issued copyright reports on the main app.

After applying, Rights Manager will look for any matching content on Facebook and Instagram and alert the user about it. Users will then be able to monitor the content, block it or attribute credit by attaching an ownership link to the post.

The new feature will help Facebook and Instagram creators protect their images from those who steal images without giving due credit. The social media company said it is perfect for those who manage a large content catalog and for those who post images frequently.