Strategically Communicating

As students, we have more freedom when using media for projects and presentations. We are covered under a set of rules. https://copyright.lib.utexas.edu/ccmcguid.html

When we step out from underneath the education umbrella, we are slapped by the reality that the line that divides legal and illegal is very large and very gray. Just ask “The Content Factory”, they were slapped with an $8,000 copyright infringement penalties.  http://www.contentfac.com/copyright-infringement-penalties-are-scary/ 

“Current Fair Use image copyright laws say that you’re financially liable for posting copyrighted images, even if:

• You did it by accident
• You immediately take down the picture after receiving a DMCA takedown notice
• The picture is resized
• If the picture is licensed to your web developer (Getty Images requires that you get your own license, thankyouverymuch)
• You link back to the photo source and cite the photographer’s name
• Your site isn’t commercial and you make no money from your blog
• You have a disclaimer on the site
• The pic is embedded instead of saved on your server
• You found it on the Internet (that’s not an excuse!)”

After reading through the material and personal experiences, it seems like lawyers are looking at copy right infringements as the new gold rush. This can make someone very hesitant once they step out from under the education umbrella.

How comfortable do you feel about fair use knowing that there are lawyers scouring the web?

The Larger Problem: Copyright Infringement Laws Breed Predatory Legal Practices

^ Image copywrong: Kari DePhillips. Others are free to steal or “borrow” this graphic.