While it’s commonly believed that any passing thought or idea can be copyrighted, there are specific criteria in order for something to be eligible for this type of protection. One important one is that it must be “fixed in a …
What Can Be Copyrighted? A Look at Acceptable Categories of Intellectual Property Read more »
When a photographer takes a picture, based on copyright law, they automatically own the copyright to that picture. But they don’t own the identity of their subjects. This is where the model release form comes in. When the photograph in …
Yesterday, Facebook was all aflurry with copyright notices, each of which referenced the “Berner Convention” and “UCC Section 1-308” and made certain declarations about what Facebook can and cannot do with a user’s information and content. (See the full disclaimer …
If you’re a musician, a business owner, a writer, or any other profession in which you might hire a third party to create intellectual property for you, you need to know about the work for hire agreement—your legal claim to …
Work For Hire Agreement: What it Is and Why You Need It Read more »
Widely referred to as a “poor-man’s copyright,” the act of mailing a copy of your own book or manuscript to yourself and leaving the package sealed is widely purported to be legal proof that you own the copyright to the …
Think a “Poor-Man’s Copyright” Will Secure Your Rights to Your Book? Think Again Read more »
You’ve just written a book—congratulations! Now, before running off to the publisher, it might be a good idea to stop and think through your rights and how to protect them. What is a copyright? A copyright is the type of …
It’s a copy-and-paste world out there, and keeping your music, poems, product descriptions, and blog posts secure can be a full-time job. It’s easier for someone to infringe on your rights than ever before—so what’s a busy professional to do? …
How to Send a Cease and Desist Letter and Stop Copyright Infringement Read more »
“Is this copyright infringement?” This is a question we hear in our copyrighting division more often than any other. I believe this is due to two reasons: (1) Copyright law has not changed significantly for over a decade, while technology …
Is This Copyright Infringement? 3 Examples and Explanations Read more »
The copyright symbol, first introduced in 1909, has a long and interesting history—and because of this, it’s sometimes difficult to determine if you need a copyright symbol or notice on your work, or if that symbol is optional. Copyright Notices …
Trademarks—words or images that connect products to the companies they come from—are commonly understood in terms of their modern (R) and TM signifiers. But trademarks have a long, fascinating history that reaches back to Biblical times and beyond. Let’s take …