7 Online Copyright Myths

One of the most misunderstood issues online concerns copyright, both for email and website content. For some reason, as with many things online, there is this incorrect perception that anything goes or that the entire online world is “public domain.”

Many are finding out the hard way that copyright is the law for protecting creative collateral. Copyright laws can and are being enforced online.

No, I am not an attorney. Nor do I play one on TV.

However, I can help you avoid potential problems by guiding clients for decades about the issues involved in using others’ work. Hopefully, this effort will help you avoid finding out the hard way that copyright is alive and well online.

Questions and Answers About Online Copyright

Can I right-click, save anything online, and use it how I wish?

This is a perfect example of just because you can doesn’t mean you do. Those graphics or files were created by someone else, who legally acquired the copyright upon creation.

There is no changing that. Without their specific (preferably written) permission to use that file or graphic, you have no right to take it and use it as you please.

There is no exception to this rule. Always ask the site owner before you illegally swipe anything from their site to display on your website, social media, or email blasts.

Can I use content from their website on my website as long as I credit the author?

Although you are being nice and giving credit where credit is due, you still need to ask the author’s permission to use their work.

The author may not want their information posted anywhere other than their website, or they may disapprove of your site as a venue for their information. That is their choice, not yours.

Just because you choose to give credit doesn’t permit you to use another creator’s collateral. Always ask a site owner before using their content on your website.

Can I link to graphics on other sites so they display on my website?

Okay, maybe you didn’t download the graphic and put it on your server, but the bottom line is the same: displaying someone’s work on your site without their permission is still wrong.

To make things worse, you are using their server’s resources to display their files on your site. That’s not a good look.

Can I display pages from other websites within frames on my website?

No, you cannot. It makes sense that website owners prohibit their pages from being framed on other sites because it gives the impression that the other site created the information.

Many times, folks don’t realize the implications and do this innocently. They don’t want to send site visitors off their site for the information they want to provide. Others do so intentionally to give the impression it is content they created.

If you discover content you want to bring to your visitors’ attention, write a post about the topic. Then, within your commentary, you create a link to the information you like and ensure a new window opens when clicked. This ensures that your site remains available to your visitors.

Do I need their permission to quote from other websites’ content and link to them?

Online is about building relationships and trust. Always erring on the side of courtesy will help you do just that. But, of course, you must have permission to do so.

Using only select portions of text can give the wrong impression of the author’s overall content. This can be misleading out of context.

If you want to quote any written work in whole or in part, ask permission and link to it. That’s how it is done.

When I pay someone to create graphics for my website, do I own the copyright to those graphics?

Not necessarily. Unless your agreement with the graphic artist explicitly states that upon your payment, all of their rights are transferred to you, you most likely only have an exclusive license to use those graphics. In addition, purchasing the full copyright will cost you much more than simple exclusivity.

Is email copyright-protected once it is sent?

An email is a written work that, once created, is copyright-protected by the author. This means you cannot publicly post an email sent to you privately, and you cannot post private emails to your site, message boards, or blog without the author’s specific permission.

Just because an email was sent to you as a private communication does not mean you own it or can do what you like. In addition, an email sent to a group on a mailing list, social media, or newsgroup does not make it available for reposting, copying, or any other use.

“Sharing” in social media is different because it displays the original poster’s information and the person who shared the post. It is not appropriate to avoid using the built-in share feature so that it appears as your own.

What’s the bottom line with online copyright?

Courtesy. It’s as simple as that.

Don’t assume you can use, repost, or take anything you find online simply because you can. Instead, be a courteous Netizen and always ask first.

Seek out the DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act) page and policy statement on your ISP and hosting provider’s websites. Take time to read that information, be aware of your rights, and do not infringe on others.

The primary resource for all the legal mumbo-jumbo on online copyright and the DMCA is the Government’s site at https://www.copyright.gov/.

Again, I am not an attorney and do not provide legal advice. However, I hope I’ve informed you of some issues that all online users, whether creating their own or using others’ creative or written works, should seriously consider.