Are Pictures on the Internet copyrighted?
1 - 20 of 23 Posts
Joined
·
1,262 Posts
The source is irrelevant. If you didn't make it, take it, design it, construct it, or buy the rights to it , you do not own it and cannot use it. Since you are asking some red flags must have popped up. Listen to them and only use original materials or materials you have permission from the artist to use. Just because it's on the Internet does not mean its by default public domain. That is a common and misguided notion.
Best of luck and remember the artist deserves compensation for their work just like you deserve compensation for your work.
Best of luck and remember the artist deserves compensation for their work just like you deserve compensation for your work.
Joined
·
1,591 Posts
Some pictures are some are not - copyright is a process and its delivery is immatrial if someone went through the process.
All images are copyrighted as soon as they are created......However, some take the further step register their copyright...Also, some images are put into the "public domain", however, the copyright still remains with the creator......
Joined
·
1,591 Posts
OK royce I will be waiting for you to post that source.
Joined
·
1,591 Posts
You did post as requested but after the long drive today from the ISS show I cannot read the fine print on all of those pages. I did see where it was attached at creation but there were some other things there where I think there had to be also an overt act. But the OP should read it as a start for his thought process.
Joined
·
9,955 Posts
I hate analogies but here we go:
When you need to go somewhere do you just take any car sitting there or do you take your own?
When you are hungry to you just take a burger off someones plate at the local diner or do you order your own?
When you need shoes do you just snatch a pair at the mall or do you stop to pay for them?
If you purchased a camera, editing software, photo lab equipment and went out and took photos for a living, would you want just anyone making t-shirts with them or would you want your work protected?
And..... If you designed a great t-shirt that became popular and was selling thousands of copies a week would you be upset if you saw a guy selling them on a street corner or at a flea market?
When you need to go somewhere do you just take any car sitting there or do you take your own?
When you are hungry to you just take a burger off someones plate at the local diner or do you order your own?
When you need shoes do you just snatch a pair at the mall or do you stop to pay for them?
If you purchased a camera, editing software, photo lab equipment and went out and took photos for a living, would you want just anyone making t-shirts with them or would you want your work protected?
And..... If you designed a great t-shirt that became popular and was selling thousands of copies a week would you be upset if you saw a guy selling them on a street corner or at a flea market?
Copyright is established the moment of creation and is enforceable....
However, unless the person registered the copyright they may not even want to pursue you unless you're a huge company that could be a huge payday for them. If you don't register the copyright I'm 99% sure you are not eligible to sue for damages AND attorney fees.
SO, if your attorney is going to charge you 15k or so for the case it is not going to be worth your while to go after a guy who printed 100 shirts with your design on them because the legal fees will more than likely outweigh the time and money you will get back in damages.
However, unless the person registered the copyright they may not even want to pursue you unless you're a huge company that could be a huge payday for them. If you don't register the copyright I'm 99% sure you are not eligible to sue for damages AND attorney fees.
SO, if your attorney is going to charge you 15k or so for the case it is not going to be worth your while to go after a guy who printed 100 shirts with your design on them because the legal fees will more than likely outweigh the time and money you will get back in damages.
You are wrong.......
Joined
·
2,132 Posts
Yes, and copyrights on everything expire eventually...for now.
Interesting link (perhaps from another thread?)
Digital Copyright Slider
Interesting link (perhaps from another thread?)
Digital Copyright Slider
That is what my trademark attorney told me.
"If you register your web site copyright within three months after publishing it or before an infringement occurs, you may seek statutory damages and attorney's fees in an infringement lawsuit. For web sites that are not registered timely, the infringer is only liable for your actual damages and the infringer's profits."
From Benefits of Web Site Copyright Registration
"You cannot get attorneys' fees for a copyright infringement action unless you registered your web site copyright before the copyright infringement first occurred, unless your registration is within three months of first publication."
I'm surprised no one has mentioned this but a simple solution is to purchase a subscription to a clipart or stock photography website (and there are many to choose from). Yea, it costs a little money, but most of these sites have thousands of images you can use, in most cases, for whatever you want. If you sell t-shirts with images you don't have to spend hours creating, the cost of the subscription more than pays for itself.
Joined
·
1,591 Posts
I think no one mentioned it due to the OP asking if such were copyrighted as opposed to how to get CR pictures. Your offering is truely the how to stay out of trouble and save boatloads of time approach.
Joined
·
2 Posts
unless your company is well known it will be most unlikey to get any kind of law suits .
Joined
·
6,595 Posts
Sorry, but many small companies have been served with lawsuits.
1 - 20 of 23 Posts
