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Is it OK to use employers stock images for side projects

I use stock images all of the time, and there is no reason that this issue needs to be discussed with a lawyer. Every stock image comes with a specific licensing agreement, and the agreement will explicitly state who can use the image and how it can be used. The OP needs to review the license agreement that applies to this image, and s/he should be able to determine whether or not the usage is appropriate.

If you are still not comfortable reopening the question, then maybe migrate it to Graphic Design SE?

ETA Since this is the meta site, I would really appreciate some feedback about the downvotes on this question. Not trying to be defensive...simply wanting to understand better why you all think that reopening or migrating the question are not better solutions than closing it would be.

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    You might want to post a link to the question.
    – Masked Man
    Sep 16 '17 at 12:50
  • I am using the app on my iPad and was having trouble with adding the link. If someone else would be kind enough to edit that in for me, I would appreciate it...otherwise I will add it when i can access the site from my work computer.
    – magerber
    Sep 16 '17 at 16:00
  • It seems to me its more of a question like "My employer provides coffee, is it okay for me to take some home for me to make over the weekend?"
    – Neo
    Sep 18 '17 at 11:38
  • @MisterPositive, potentially it is more like asking "My employer provides coffee, do I have to pour out what is left in my cup or can I drink it on my drive home?" I "subscribe" to some stock image sites with images under a CC 0 license, which means that they are open to anyone for use in whatever manner they wish to. The "subscription" just means that I have registered my email address, and the site sends me a new batch of pictures to use when they post more pictures. It is both ethically and legally okay to use them in business or personal projects.
    – magerber
    Sep 18 '17 at 16:33
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I have now voted to reopen the question. "The answer is obvious to me." and "How could you be so ignorant?" are not valid close reasons.

The question is not asking for any legal advice. Copyright law is not company specific.

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    It is asking for opinion though. It should be edited to ask something more constructive than our judgement on the acceptability of the practice. Like how to determine the acceptable use of the images.
    – IDrinkandIKnowThings
    Sep 18 '17 at 4:02
  • +1, "The answer is obvious to me", that would get 95% of questions coming from newcomers to the workplace closed (I don't count duplicates as they're differents).
    – Walfrat
    Sep 18 '17 at 8:07
  • It may or may not be asking for an opinion--it simply depends on how you choose to interpret the question. the OP asks "is it okay," which can be answered with an opinion, or with facts about how to determine the actual validity of use. I think it is more useful to provide a suggested edit for the OP to review that makes it clearly not opinion-based than simply to place it on hold.
    – magerber
    Sep 18 '17 at 16:24

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