But it divided Britain's press, with papers taking different approaches in trying to strike a balance between not sanitising the child's death and not shocking people by showing the unedited, graphic images.
The Independent splashed the picture at the top of its website, where anyone who logged on to the site would see it without warning, and won praise for doing so.
At a time when Britain has taken barely 200 refugees from Syria, the Indy ran the picture beneath the headline: "If these extraordinarily powerful images of a dead Syrian child washed up on a beach don’t change Europe’s attitude to refugees, what will?"
The paper wrote it had "taken the decision to publish these images because, among the often glib words about the 'ongoing migrant crisis', it is all too easy to forget the reality of the desperate situation facing many refugees".
Warning: video contains graphic footage
During a debate on the image on LBC on Wednesday evening, Lib Dem leader Tim Farron said the paper should be "applauded" for using the image so prominently, adding: "They're [The Independent] not just within their rights... they should be applauded.
Host Iain Dale said it was "not an easy thing to look at" but said he felt publishing it was necessary because "it needs to be brought home to use what's happening".
Roger Alton, the former editor of The Observer, called it a "great piece of journalism".
“It's a very powerful thing... a million victims is a statistic, one dead child is a tragedy," he told the programme.
But LBC itself did not follow the Independent's example, publishing a pixelated version of the image on the front of its website.
The Guardian and Mail Online both published a different image of the same boy in the arms of a Turkish Gendarme, in which the child's face obscured by the man.
The Huffington Post UK also used the image of the Gendarme carrying the child on the beach.
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On Twitter, journalists Ian Dunt and Giles Dilnot gave opposing views of whether using the image was necessary.
It remains to be seen how tomorrow's front pages, which will be circulated later tonight, will treat the image.
During the LBC show, Dale compared it to the famous 1972 photo of a nine-year-old Vietnamese girl running down a road having just suffered a napalm attack.
Alton compared the image to that of a charred corpse of an Iraqi soldier, which was published inside newspapers during the 1991 Gulf War.
"Whether it'll make a difference, that's another matter," he added.
13 signs attitudes to migrants have reached a turning point
Yvette Cooper changed the game(01 of14)
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David Cameron's reference to migrants as a "swarm" is long forgotten. Yvette Cooper's passionate speech calling for Britain to take in 10,000 refugees marked a watershed moment, and one of the first times a major politician focused on empathy and compassion in the migrant crisis.
The Labour leadership contender called for every town and city to take in ten migrant families to help those fleeing war-torn countries.
Evoking the 10,000 Jewish refugees taken in by the country in WWII, she proclaimed: “We need to be able to look our grandparents in the eyes and say we faced up to the challenges and responsibilities of our time just as they did theirs. And we need to be able to look our grandchildren in the eyes and say we did not turn our backs.” (credit:Dan Kitwood via Getty Images)
Humanity washed ashore(02 of14)
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The photos of the body of Aylan Kurdi, the toddler who died with his mother and brother trying to reach Greece from Turkey, were shared by a Human Rights Watch director, and then appeared throughout the European media, which called outright for action from world leaders to prevent more such tragedies. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
A petition to the government asking the UK to accept more refugees had only 16,000 signatures on Wednesday lunchtime, before the picture of Aylan went viral. Just 24 hours later it had over 100,000, and is still growing, urging those in power to prevent refugees from being "left living in dire, unsafe and inhumane conditions in Europe."
Merkel takes a stand(05 of14)
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Despite over 200 arson attacks by far-right groups on refugee shelters in Germany this year, German Chancellor Angela Merkel's response has inspired people around the world this week.
“There can be no tolerance of those who question the dignity of other people,” she said, standing in front of anti-refugee protestors waving placards against her at a shelter which was attacked. “There is no tolerance of those who are not ready to help, where, for legal and humanitarian reasons, help is due,” Merkel added. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
German inspiration(06 of14)
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The ugly face of some protestors in Germany could not overshadow the kindness of the majority of people in the country, which has shone through this week. The huge numbers of migrants were welcomed with gifts, supplies and support - even at the very same shelter which was attacked before Merkel's speech. (credit:Matthias Rietschel via Getty Images)
Giving too much(07 of14)
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People arriving at Munich's main station were met with baby food, drinks and other items brought by locals to welcome them to the country. As well as essential supplies, children were greeted with toys. One girl received a balloon and teddy bear.
Police even said they were given so many things they were overwhelmed, tweeting: "We're overwhelmed by the good people have brought for the refugees. Please do not bring any more things." (credit:Getty Images)
The right medicine(08 of14)
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Words in the media this week have moved increasingly towards the fundamental triggers behind much of the crisis - the conflict and persecution ravaging the Middle East and North Africa.
Andrew Mitchell, the Former International Development Secretary, said what many less-prominent figures have been thinking: that we need to treat "the cause", not just the symptoms, of the crisis.
"The whole of the world community" needs to get involved, he said, adding that "What is essential is that there is a political solution to the catastrophe that has engulfed Syria." (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Desperate lengths(09 of14)
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This picture of a migrant painfully crammed behind the engine of a car further emphasised the horrific measures hundreds of people are enduring to enter Europe - and a desperation that seems to know no bounds.
The man, believed to be from the West African nation of Guinea, was found curled up behind the engine as the vehicle he was concealed in entered the Spanish territory of Ceuta from Morocco.
Unimaginable tragedy(10 of14)
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The gruesome deaths of 71 people found decomposed after travelling in a truck in Austria was a shocking discovery that moved the world further to think of the fates of those who take enormous risks to find a new home. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
A movement is born(11 of14)
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The movement of those supporting refugees has grown rapidly, captured by thousands of protestors on the streets of Vienna in Austria on Monday, days after the 71 refugees were found dead in a truck on an Austrian highway.
The crowds, many dressed in white, held candles and banners with slogans reading "Human Rights are Borderless". Austrian singer and human rights activist Willi Resetarits said that he ahd heard chants of "Say it loud, say it clear, refugees are welcome here".
The route of the demonstration even had to be changed because so many turned up to take part. (credit:ASSOCIATED PRESS)
A 'misnamed crisis'(12 of14)
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The crisis itself has stated to be redefined with empathy: the word "refugee" is being increasingly used instead of "migrant" to describe the people moving across the continent, highlighting that so many of them are trying to escape death or persecution.
Former foreign secretary David Miliband branded the situation a "misnamed crisis" on Tuesday.
“It seems not misnamed by accident. It’s been too convenient to misname it as a migrant crisis, because it suggests these people are voluntarily fleeing, whereas in fact – if you’ve been barrel-bombed out of your home three times, life and limb demand that you flee... It’s not about being politically incorrect in using the term migrant. It’s simply incorrect.” (credit:Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Interest rises(13 of14)
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Google searches for the term "refugees" jumped sharply last week (beginning 26th August) and overtook the number of searches for "migrants" for the first time this month, reflecting the rise in awareness of the humanitarian aspect of the crisis. (credit:Google Trends)
Rewriting the story(14 of14)
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Other UK politicians have begun to question the mainstream narrative told by those in power. Pippa Bartolotti, the Wales Green Party Leader blogged on HuffPost UK saying "Dear Mr Cameron, this is not a migrant crisis, this is a refugee crisis."
In her piece she challenges Cameron for withdrawing British support from the rescue efforts in the Mediterranean last year.
"Your message seemed to be 'Let the refugees drown - it will discourage the others.' What a dereliction of moral authority."
She continues: "Our country is a safe and secure place for those fleeing war. Many of these conflicts were started or exacerbated by rich western countries. If we can't accept the consequences of our actions, we shouldn't have taken the action in the first place. In this case, the consequences of wars we have either started, fuelled or contributed to are more than a million refugees and the harrowing sight of innocent little bodies being washed up on the shores of the Mediterranean." (credit:Matthew Horwood via Getty Images)