If you place anything on the internet - you are releasing it into the public domain.
In copyright protection law - "If you are placing your "prior art" into the public domain without conditions, you are letting go control of that "prior art" and also, therefore any protections you think or perceive it may have had."
Filing a copyright case against someone who stole an image you placed into the public domain, would be too costly and too difficult to defend to be realistic.
Anyone placing images or anything onto the web must assume that they are giving it away...unless conditions are clear ( i.e. license agreements in demo or other software).
Anyone using those images will perceive they have been placed into the public domain - so are free for public use.
Those who are careful know how to protect their "intellectual property rights" - and simply will NOT place their "Prior art or invention disclosures" into the "PUBLIC DOMAIN".... this includes images.
An example of an image placed into the public domain with proper protection conditions ...is a trademark.
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Militant sea dog
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