Content copyright
| Content – the graphics, pictures, text, video clips, sound etc. – that makes up your web site could all potentially get you in hot water.
Breach of copyright can be an expensive business, so it’s always best – and cheaper - to err on the side of caution. As a rule of thumb, copyright belongs with the author, so any pictures you take, or text you pen, is your property. The pitfalls arrive if you copy, plagiarise or rip content from elsewhere. The mantra here is: if you don’t own it, don’t use it. Licence to fill You must own or have the licence rights to use all the elements of your site. If in doubt, always ask permission. Sometimes this simple courtesy will result in the rights holder giving you the green light in return for a link back to them rather than the exchange of hard cash. Check this point out too with your web developer as intellectual property created by them may not automatically belong to you until there has been a specific assignment of rights. By the same token, be sure to assert rights to your intellectual property. Register any trademarks/logos you use and enforce these rights where necessary. A copyright statement on your site should advise users what they are and aren’t allowed to do with your content. The norm is to grant permission to electronically copy and print hard copy portions of your site for personal use only and for the purposes of placing an order via the site. Other uses are, generally speaking, expressly prohibited without your prior written permission. Useful links |