Common Misconceptions about Copyright Law
If you spend any time on social media, I am sure you have seen someone post a video with music or use a song in their social media post stating that “they do not own the rights to this music,” assuming that the admission/disclaimer protects them from running afoul of copyright laws.
A copyright is a type of intellectual property that protects original works of authorship, including music, novels, movies, photographs or even choreography. A person infringes on a copyright, even if they put a disclaimer explaining that they don’t own the rights to the music.
Using your favorite song or posting that funny video on your social media could potentially be infringing on someone else’s copyright.
But what about fair use? – Fair use is when a person uses a copyrighted work for commentary, criticism, news reporting, teaching or scholarship. Fair use typically does not apply to social media posts.
Be careful! A registered copyright owner can sue and seek compensation from a person using their music, pictures or video without their permission.
Tips to avoid copyright infringement:
- Use royalty free music- There are plenty of sites that offer music that is royalty free
- Use royalty free images- Websites like shutterstock and freeimages.com offer royalty free images.
- If you didn’t create it, don’t post it! – if you didn’t take the picture, write or record the song or film the video, then don’t use or post it on your social media.
P.S. If you have any questions about securing a federal copyright in your work, click the link in my bio to set up a call today!