As outlined in the IEEE Brand Identity Guidelines, IEEE has six image themes or pillars that represent the IEEE Brand: people, technology, knowledge, connections, global, and historical, as well as IEEE members, areas of expertise, and history.

Brand value is achieved by how others feel about IEEE; however, brand identity begins with what they see. It is important to gain trust by being transparent and using images that tell a story with real people, real environments, and real-world situations. People who connect and relate to what they see in an image are more likely to become brand supporters.

When choosing an image, ask yourself:

• How will the image be used?
• Who is your target audience?
• What is the marketing objective?

Original photographs that you own the copyright for (not clip art or stock images) should be used whenever possible. When original photographs are not available, stock photography and abstract or vector artwork are acceptable as long as they follow the same guidelines. More information about stock images can be found in under the Stock Images section.

Examples of images used in IEEE advertising can be seen in the IEEE Promo Library.

Web accessibility is the ease with which people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, interact with, and contribute to the web.

All images must follow the WCAG 2.0 Level A compliance requirement that is a part of the IEEE Accessibility Statement. This can be achieved by adding effective descriptive embedded text (“alt text”) that conveys the purpose of the image. Alt text, when written well, creates a fulfilling and inclusive experience for all users, but especially for those using screen readers. All site managers and site developers should account for effective alt text usage in the imagery they create and/or post on an IEEE website or in IEEE marketing materials.

View and download the IEEE accessibility tip sheet (PDF, 260 KB)

Other accessibility resources:

• View and download the IEEE accessibility tip sheet (PDF, 260 KB)
• Accessibility tools for digital and marketing staff and volunteers
• Introduction to Web Usability and Accessibility 
• IEEE Commits to Ensuring Digital Properties Are Accessible

A photo release is required for any staff or volunteers who take their own photos for distribution and publishing. If a photograph includes people, please have each person sign the IEEE Release Form.

View and download the IEEE Release Form

IEEE's current policy is that generative AI images may not be used for external, commercial purposes.

AI is rapidly changing and there are a host of unknown legal, ethical, and operational risks associated with its use. This policy is subject to change as the laws surrounding AI continue to develop and are updated to address permissible AI use.

Due to a number of factors, including possible security and business risks against IEEE’s intellectual property, business, and sensitive data, and AI’s questionable reliability and accuracy, at this time, IEEE employees may not load or expose any IEEE content, whether open or copyrighted, into an AI platform to conduct IEEE business. Content, including images, generated from AI systems also should not be incorporated into any employee’s work deliverables.

Recent lawsuits allege that many of the leading AI image generators have been improperly trained on unlicensed copyrighted materials and, therefore, the AI-generated outputs are unauthorized images that violate the true image owner’s copyrights. Due to this legal uncertainty, IEEE prohibits the use of any such AI-generated images for external, commercial use as such use could expose IEEE to potential copyright infringement lawsuits.

Examples of prohibited AI use include, but are not limited to:

• Using AI image generators (such as DALL E) to create generative AI images for use on IEEE websites, magazines, or other publications (these images may be the subject of copyright infringement claims and expose IEEE to liability)
• Uploading IEEE content to an AI system in order to generate summaries, quizzes, or other content
• Using AI systems, such as ChatGPT, to create written work products (research papers, essays, memorandum, scripts, summaries, etc.) that will be used in connection with your role as an IEEE employee or IEEE’s business (not including tools used to check spelling or grammar)

IEEE recognizes that our members and volunteers are eager to use AI to conduct IEEE business. Any inquiries from members regarding the use of AI for work in process, or new work should be directed to ieeeAI@ieee.org.

The use of photographs without appropriate licenses or permission is prohibited. While it may seem innocent enough to use an image found on the internet, copyright owners often utilize software to track down websites using unlicensed images and file copyright infringement lawsuits against anyone engaged in the unauthorized use of their images.

Please note that all photographs are potentially subject to copyright law and, therefore, require a license or permission from the image owner before they can be used for commercial purposes. When downloading any images, make sure to check the image license.

All photographs are potentially subject to copyright, and the use of photographs without appropriate licenses or permission is prohibited. Using images obtained from search engine results (i.e. Google Image Search) is unacceptable. Using images without permission/license may violate the rights of the copyright owner and subject IEEE to liability.

When applicable, ensure proper photo credit is given:

• Check on permissions for use.
• Email the owner to see if you can use their image. Having evidence of written permission from the copyright owner will help if there are any disputes down the line.
• If using the image in a blog post or on a website, put the name of the creator/owner and a link to their website or the source of the image below the image. The format should look similar to this:
  • “Photo by [artist name with their website hyperlinked]”
  • “Image by [artist name] via [website hyperlinked].”

Important: IEEE Legal & Compliance team prohibits the use of AI-generated images.

Stock images can be an alternate solution for missing visuals—using stock images can help tell a story, balance content, and make content more compelling when used sparingly.  Keep the following best practices in mind when using stock images:

• Follow IEEE best practices when selecting imagery.
• Use images of real people, environments, and situations, whenever possible.
• Vector graphics* or illustrations can be used, when appropriate. Any vector artwork should use clean lines and not look cluttered or busy.

*Vector graphics are a form of computer graphics in which visual images are created directly from geometric shapes, such as points, lines, curves, and polygons.

Permissions (required)

Using images without permission or proper attribution is not allowed. You must obtain the necessary permissions or licenses before using any stock pictures (using images from the web or Google search results is not permitted).

Generally, there are three types of licenses that stock image websites offer for their resources:

• Royalty-free/Standard license: Allows users to pay a one-time fee for the image and use it unlimitedly without paying additional royalties. Specific usage restrictions may still apply, and it is essential to review the specific license terms.
• Rights managed: Generally requires users to pay for each specific use of the image.
• Extended license: Grants and lists extended use rights beyond the standard licensing terms

Resources

• Paid stock collections:
  • Shutterstock: https://www.shutterstock.com/
  • iStock Photo*: https://www.istockphoto.com/

*IEEE staff can request access to iStock by submitting a request via the IEEE Experience Design team contact form.

• Free stock collections: Stock photography websites contain important guidelines detailing how the images may be used. Read each website carefully to understand their licensing rules and usage guidelines before using or downloading an image. IEEE is not responsible if you download and use an image that does not have the appropriate license or copyright permission.
  • Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/license/
  • Splash: https://unsplash.com/license

"Editorial Use Only" refers to a specific type of image license that restricts the usage of the image to editorial or journalistic purposes. Images under this license are suitable for inclusion in news articles, educational content, documentaries, or other non-commercial contexts where the primary goal is to inform or educate. These images often feature recognizable individuals, landmarks, events, or public figures. There are no exceptions to this restriction, so even religious, educational, and nonprofit organizations must respect this important guidance.

Permissible use of editorial content includes:

• news articles, archives, and publications
• documentaries
• nonfiction books
• public-service content

Unacceptable uses of editorial content:

• promotional articles and graphics (including “advertorials”)
• commercial productions
• product packaging
• advertising
• merchandise
• social media campaigns