Up to you ... but I personally frown on theft/conversion of my stuff and act accordingly. One thing to link to my stuff, another to steal my stuff and post it, link or not, and another to hot link and no backlink... Pick and chose.

Thanks but "up to you" doesn't really answer the question I posed, which is "Is there any value in having nofollow links from large media sites"? Meaning...does this provide an SEO boost? I already understand the issues of appropriation thx

nofollow is just that, ignored. Some claim a benefit, but I have never seen it myself.

nofollow is just that, ignored. Some claim a benefit, but I have never seen it myself.

Google has stated recently (2019) that it sees the no-follow directive as a hint and the directive could be ignored, and the link counted.

Here is a link to the thread, from when the change was announced:
[webmasterworld.com...]

I suspect that the scenario described in the OP is a situation where the directive would be ignored, but there really is no way to know for sure. This is judgement call that only you can make.

The writers are taking images and ...

Do you mean “taking” as in stealing, or “taking” as in hotlinking?

The writers are simply taking the images from my site and posting the images as part of their article and adding a link under the images back to the page where they found it as a sort of photo credit. Since it's UGC it's hard to go after these sites for infringements, but you can ask to have the images taken down. If the link actually provided any value I might consider allowing them to use the image, but links all nofollowed.

I think it's good to get the word out to people that a site exists, as much as possible, in any way. Just one way to get people familiar with a site out of many ways.

@martinibuster I would agree except for the fact that the links have never resulted in any traffic at all, so they get all the benefit and I get a possible loss if the images rank higher on their page than mine! That is common now as Google Images has pushed up ranking for images from big media properties across the board

I would agree except for the fact that the links have never resulted in any traffic

Did I say anything about traffic? You're missing the point. I did not mention traffic because what I'm suggesting has zero to do with traffic.

You have to get out of the common SEO mindset that everything must have a direct promotional impact:

If it's a link it can't be nofollow (WRONG)

It can't be an unlinked URL (WRONG)

It must result in traffic (WRONG)

It must have an impact on rankings (WRONG)

Get out of the direct benefit mode of thinking. Get out of the mode of thinking that if it doesn't directly impact rankings or traffic then it's useless.

Indirect and Long-Term Benefits

It has to do with building ubiquity. I hope that makes it clearer.

I don't think it needs to be explained how making people familiar with a site is important, right?

ichthyous, I agree with you that hotlinking images with nofollow that they take from your site has little to no benefit, especially if they don't realize that the image is linked.

As someone who has spent a career in media, especially media websites, I suggest you ask for a credit line below those images and have them link the credit. That's what I do with images from outside sources -- after I ask for permission to use them because they own the copyright.

With a credit line, you get the ubiguity that martinbuster mentions. If they say no to a link, at least demand a credit line or have them remove your images because they are violating your copyright.

Those links for sure will give you no link juice. But if the linking site is more powerful than yours and in a relevant topic you can gain profits from brand mentions. You have to align your picture license and demand the brand mentions of course. If the linking site is smaller than you, in competition to you somehow (in your case you should check the competition in image search and the importance of those clicks by yourself) or shady, i would suggest you ask them to stop linking to you. Or to just block those domains in GSC.

There might be some long term benefit to this situation but I think right now, you need to work out who is more likely to benefit from the other site using your content, you or them?

Content theft is never good and is usually stolen/borrowed for a reason. If you don't think it will be of benefit to you I would suggest having it taken down.

Mack.