Is it legal to steal pictures from people's Facebook pages?

[Random girl]

There's a girl who goes to my school and she's a photographer and has her own business and takes pictures at a lot of school events. She has thousands of pictures on her Facebook. She has pictures of graduation too, and I'm in some of them. I really want to put them on my Facebook, but is that legal? Am I supposed to ask for permission first or pay her?

[KittyontheCatwalk]

depends if you really want to ask her for permission or not.

[Kirsten Anderson]

I think that it would be common courtesy to send her a quick message asking if you could copy them. I'm sure it'll be fine.

[Anna]

As long as the pictures have you in them, I think that makes you entitled to them.
So yes, I think it's perfectly legal.

[ComTech391]

Personally, I would ask if you can use them on your own Facebook. It doesn't hurt at ask. There are two things that would possibly promote the use.

1. Tell here you will include a copyright notice on your Facebook (Who owns the Photograph)
2. Help promote her photographer business on your Facebook. (Advertising isn't free except in exchange for some thing of value)

[Ne0felis Nebul0sa]

In this case, I think it might be simply:
If the picture shows her (or just her face) you are supposed to ask for her permissions.
But if you are the only-person who is represented on the picture she normally has the responsibility to ask for your permissions.

If she took a photo of you without your permissions it might be more complicated because normally she has the copyright of the picture but in this case she has broken another right which means that her copyright might be invalid.

However, to download pictures from facebook without sharing them or downloading it in a illegal way it might be legal. In addition, Facebook has a Download-Button for Pictures itself.

[Kyle Johnson]

Ask permission to your friend if she wants to let you post her pictures on your account. And in legal matters, its only illegal when your try to claim these pictures as if it were yours. Or you sell these pictures without the consent of its true owner.