Copyright and Intellectual Property

Over two centuries ago, the United States established the very first federal copyright law. The main purpose of the Copyright Act of 1790 was to provide authors and other artists with the sole right to make, sell, copy, and perform their own work, and to protect themselves in case someone infringed upon that right. Copyright and other intellectual property rights are more important today than ever.

Cybersquatting Won’t Save the World

Last November, according to Reuters, after Donald Trump won the presidential election, the editor-in-chief of the far-right Breitbart News Network announced that the outlet would expand into Germany and France, hoping to “monetize the anger and anti-immigrant sentiment unleashed by Donald Trump’s successful presidential campaign.” Some on the left in France are not keen to […]

The Long List of Things that Can’t Be Copyrighted

Seeking legal advice online is always an iffy venture, but when it comes to copyright law the pitfalls seem to multiply. And making a mistake when it comes to copyright can get you into serious legal and financial trouble. If you’re an artist, writer, inventor, or other creative, it’s important to understand the basics of […]

Privacy and Copyright for Photographers: What You Need to Know

Modern tech has made taking photos, editing them, and sharing them with friends and family easier than ever. That’s a wonderful thing for budding photographers… but it’s also a bit of a double-edged sword, for photographers and their subjects. Education on privacy and copyright hasn’t kept pace with the rapid progress of technology. There are […]

What to Do If Your Photographs Are Stolen

Thanks to the internet, it’s easier than ever to get into photography. The resources to learn good photography skills – composition, lighting, film development, digital editing – are just a Google search away. It’s easy to post your photos online and get feedback to hone your skills, and even sell your photos online when you […]

What Authors Need to Know About Online Publishing

Online publishing can seem like the ideal outlet to new and existing authors — an outlet that bypasses the traditional gatekeepers of conventional publishing. Traditional publishing often takes the lion’s share of the cover price, with the author receiving as little as 3%, while online services offer as much as 70% of the sale price. […]

Copyright, the Internet and Why It Matters to You

Copyright law used to be fairly simple, when it all began — it only lasted for two years. The first copyright law was created in the 18th century: the British Statute of Anne 1710. Passed to protect the rights of authors, the statute required them to renew their copyright every two years. If you didn’t […]

Who’s Stealing eBooks?

Production and sales of eBooks increased rapidly in the last decade. Indie authors may have led the way, but bestsellers (and their publishers) soon joined the eBook revolution. Publishers begot lawyers; copyrights, DRM, and royalties soon followed. Who’s stealing eBooks, and who is paying? What’s the future for digital rights management, and how does this affect publishers and authors? Our […]

Do DMCA Notices Work Outside the U.S.?

Do DMCA Notices Work Outside the U.S.?

You’ve worked hard to build your website. You spent hours putting it all together, making sure every little detail was perfect. And you spent even more time writing a lot of great content to share ideas, not to mention help your site rank better. Your website is a result of not just time and effort, […]

How to Remove Stolen Photos Online

How to Remove Stolen Photos Online

As more and more people come to live their lives online via social media and sites around the Internet, the wall between one’s public and private lives is eroding at breakneck speed. The very definition of what might reasonably considered “private” in a world where every meal is photographed and posted to Instagram, and every […]

Since the first Copyright Act was established, a number of updates have been made to the law. One of the reasons for these updates was due to the original law containing a number of vague definitions that required further clarification. The biggest reason for these updates, though, was due to the changing face of technology. As motion pictures, radio, and later the internet, entered our lives, expansion of the law was necessary.

While copyright law is still far from perfect, we now have more than enough information at our disposal to better understand what copyright law means in this digital age. In the following list of resources, guides, tutorials, and blogs, we’ve amassed information on everything you need to know about copyright if you plan on creating content — online or in print — and for personal uses, educational purposes, or professional work.

Everything You Need to Know About Copyright Law

Copyright law. What is it? Why do you need it? And who is it for? We cover all that and more:

How to Protect Your Copyrighted Work

Sometimes it’s just not enough to know that your work is inherently protected by copyright law. Learn about copyright notices, registration, and other copyright protection tools here:

How to Stay on the Right Side of Copyright Law

Just because there is a lot to know about copyright law doesn’t mean anyone has the right or excuse to infringe on someone else’s work. Learn how to abide by the rules here:

Expand Your Copyright Knowledge

The resources featured here are plenty to get you started down the path of becoming a copyright expert. But as with anything in the legal realm, it’s important that you consult a professional if you have serious questions about copyright as it pertains to your work. When in doubt, consult a lawyer.