Topic: How To Protect Yourself From Copyright Wrongs In Marketing

Just because it is easy to grab something from the internet does not make it the right thing to do.

Using images and passages to liven up your marketing materials may seem like a good idea, but not if you are stealing the content.

For legal advice on copyright law I turned to Deborah Reid, a lifelong painter, author and practicing attorney. Reid is an experienced federal practitioner with over 40 years’ experience. Her legal practice is focused on empowering artists, innovators and entrepreneurs with customized contracts, licenses, copyright, and trademark services.

She has been admitted to the bars of California, New York, New Jersey, and Florida. She holds a B.A. from Northeastern University and a J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law. You might say she knows stuff that can keep you out of trouble. Here are four ways Reid advises people on how to steer clear of copyright problems:

Understand the purpose of copyright. Its application will make more sense. “Copyright is a social bargain based on the recognition that creative intellectual activity is vital to the well-being of society. In exchange for sharing their work, monopoly exploitation benefits are given to artists for a limited time to ensure a fair return on their labor. Today’s technology strikes at the heart of this bargain. The ease of digital consumption of images needs to be balanced with a process that compensate artists fairly and fosters a dynamic culture.”

Know how copyrights are created and protected. “Copyrights exist automatically upon the fixation of an original work in a tangible medium,” says Reid. “It is not necessary to affix a copyright notice or to register the work with the US Copyright Office for the copyright to exist. It is easy and prudent to do both. Although not required, notices are informative and may discourage unauthorized use. A notice simply includes the artist’s name and year of first publication or creation. Copyright registration has a few more steps but is still relatively simple and is very important if your work is infringed. Registration is a prerequisite to enforcing copyrights in litigation.”

Topic Discussed: How To Protect Yourself From Copyright Wrongs In Marketing

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