14 DAY TRIAL // Earlier this month, Getty Images sued Microsoft for copyright infringement through its Bing Image Widget, which displays photos on third-party websites, but the Redmond-based software giant says that this isn’t the case.
In court documents, Microsoft explained that it removed the Bing Image Widget one day after learning about Getty’s lawsuit, telling the judge that it’s now talking with the company to address its concerns.
At the same time, Microsoft said that its widget didn’t copy or distribute photos owned by Getty, but only displayed a thumbnail and redirected users to the original website hosting them.
According to a report by PCWorld, Getty has already countered all these statements, explaining that the widget is still available on a number of websites worldwide.
Microsoft says that while the widget is no longer available, it’s working with Getty to address all complaints and find a way to resolve them, so an updated version that would not violate copyright should be released at a later time.
District Judge Denise Cote has delayed a decision in this case, giving the two companies a deadline of October 3, 2014 to discuss the problems and engage in mediation.
Microsoft has already expressed its intention to cooperate and find a way to address all complaints, but Getty has the right to file a new complaint by Friday, according to the aforementioned source.