Someone stole my Instagram picture, now what?

Instagram moves fast.

Popular pictures are popular only for a flash of time before they fade off of the feeds of your followers. But what happens when someone steals your picture and uses it for financial gain? Well, the answer depends, but if you’re concerned about copyright infringement, it’s time to talk to a lawyer. If you’re a photographer and your photography is your business, or even if you just value the shots your put up on Instagram, there are things you can do to protect your work (and help get yourself paid for it).

When a copyrighted and registered work is infringed, statutory damages may be available in some circumstances. Statutory damages, when awarded, can result in a plaintiff receiving between $750 and $30,000 per work. Willful infringement cases can result in up to $150,000 of statutory damages per infringement. If a work isn’t registered when it is infringed, then a potential plaintiff has three months from publication to register the copyright and still sue for statutory damages.

Instagram is an excellent medium for photographers to showcase their work and to generate business. Protecting your work needs to be a top priority, both to protect the integrity of your work and to continue to build goodwill for your business. Keep an eye out for theft, and if you find an unauthorized use of your photograph, it’s time to speak with a lawyer about what your can do to protect your work.