Top 5 ways to avoid violating copyright/intellectual property laws

Posting content online can be intimidating if you don’t know your ins and outs of copyright law. Ive curated a list of what I believe are the most important tips for following copyright law online.

1. Use royalty free images, sounds, videos always
   • Any images, videos, audio, or content that you did not create is likely copyrighted. This is true even if they don’t register with the copyright office! A great resource for royalty free images created for public use is creative commons. They have their own search engine specifically for this.
2. Quote anything that is not your own words.
   • When getting information from other sources, always give proper credit. Follow correct AP style. Don’t change the words anytime you are quoting someone.
     • example: “A great resource for royalty free images created for public use is creative commons” said Wesley Ferrell.
3. Follow guidelines for fair use
   • Fair use is a guideline in copyright law that allows for fair amounts of copyrighted work to be used in transformative works. Using factual material is protected under fair use . This doesn’t give you an excuse to copy. Fair use usually covers works that are not for profit most.
4. Get explicit permission from the creator
   • The best way to protect yourself is to get explicit permission to use another person’s content when possible.
   • Sometimes the source is not reachable, and that’s alright. Just follow other fair use guidelines and cite your sources appropriately.
5. DMCA takedown notices
   • When a company or person believes that their intellectual property rights have been infringed, they will send your ISP (internet service provider) a DMCA takedown notice.
   • Your online content may be taken down by whoever hosts it.
   • If your content has been taken down wrongfully, you have the legal right to take legal action against them. Section 512(f) protects you from wrongful use of the DMCA. Its important to know your rights!