View image button disappears from Google image search

Google's image search is no longer showing users the option to directly view an image from its search results, a handy way to see just a picture from the web without having to visit the entire page where it was originally shown. — dpa

Google's image search is no longer showing users the option to directly view an image from its search results, a handy way to see just a picture from the web without having to visit the entire page where it was originally shown.

The removal of the function follows a settlement between Google and photo agency Getty, which had criticised how easy the search made it to find and use content without the proper rights.

Google said the decision was an effort "to strike a balance between serving user needs and publisher concerns, both stakeholders we value." The company said it would keep the "visit" button, "so users can see images in the context of the webpages they're on."

However anyone looking for another way to bypass web pages and just find images can still make use of the exact same 'view image' function on startpage.com's image search.

This European search engine lets users privately see Google search results without sharing data with the tech giant, and has not yet removed its 'view image' option. — dpa