A guide for WebM stakeholders on “Copyright Trolling” notices and our proactive protection strategies.

If you operate a business in Australia, there is a probability you may eventually receive an automated email from an enforcement service like Copytrack, PicRights, or Pixsy.

These emails typically arrive with a blurry screenshot of your website, a “Case ID,” and a demand for payment (often in Euros or USD) for the alleged unauthorised use of an image.

If you receive one of these notices:

  1. Do Not Panic: These are generated by automated bots, not high court judges.
  2. Do Not Pay Immediately: Treat the demand as an enquiry, not a legally binding fine.
  3. Do Not Engage: Do not reply to the sender directly.
  4. Forward to Us: Send the email immediately to support@webm.com.au.

Our Protocol:

We act as your technical filter. We cross-reference the image with our asset registers to verify the licence source, check for “false positives” (which are common), and determine the correct next steps.

The WebM Standard: How We Protect Your Digital Core

To minimise risk and maximise performance, we adhere to a strict Image Hierarchy across all client projects. This is not just about avoiding legal headaches; it is about ensuring your digital assets perform for your business.

1. The Gold Standard: Genuine Photography

We always prioritise real, authentic photos of your team, your projects, and your premises.

  • The Benefit: Genuine photos build “Human Trust”—a core WebM principle. They also carry zero copyright risk because you own the source.

2. The Modern Standard: AI-Generated Imagery

Where genuine photography isn’t available, we utilise advanced generative AI to create specific visual assets rather than relying on generic stock libraries.

  • The Benefit: These images are 100% unique to your brand and cannot be flagged by copyright crawler bots because the image never existed before we created it.

The “Secret Sauce”: Our Metadata Strategy

Regardless of the source—whether we use a real photo or an AI-generated one—the image itself is only half the story. The other half is the Metadata.

In a WebM “Digital Core,” every image is treated as a data point that Google reads to understand your business. We apply a rigorous Metadata Strategy to visual assets to maximise your SEO and Accessibility.

How We Structure Image Data:

Element The WebM Standard The Benefit
Filename architectural-house-model-planning-australian-property.jpg Provides broad context for search engines before they even “see” the image.
Alt Text A wooden architectural model of a modern two-story house sits on an office desk next to rolled blueprints… Critical for Accessibility (screen readers) and helps Semantic SEO (Google understanding the image content).
Caption Architectural planning approvals are surging, reflecting strong buyer demand. Connects the visual to the specific data points in your article, keeping users engaged longer.

By treating images as data, we ensure your website isn’t just “pretty”—it is a high-performance engine that is readable by Google and accessible to all Australians.

Summary

Copyright automation is an operational nuisance, but it doesn’t need to be a threat.

  • If you get a notice: Forward it to us. We handle the review.
  • If you have photos: Send them to us. Real is always better.
  • Rest assured: We use advanced metadata protocols to ensure every asset works harder for your business.

For further context on the legal landscape of automated copyright notices in Australia, we recommend resources from Sprintlaw or the Arts Law Centre of Australia.