copyright

[ali_malik1121]

Now that I know enough to start designing web pages...I want to ask some questiosn about copyright.

Will it get in trouble for taking images from other websites and putting them up.
If yes then where do I get images from my page.

I also read you can take images from pages that don't say copyright on them.

If I do take a picture what trouble will I be in and will I be warned by the author
(I am only 15).

Do people actually email the author asking them if they can use the picture?

Please answer in much detail as possible and give me further information if possible.

thanks,

[Pegasus]

You can't use any images or clipart unless you've obtained permission in some way to use them. Clipart collections on CD or DVD usually have a list of the permissions you're granted. Anything else requires written permission from the photographer/copyright holder.

All content, whether it be images or text, are copywritten to the author unless otherwise stated. If you took pictures and posted them to a website, along with stories to go with each image, you would hold copyright to both items and anyone using them without your written permission is in violation of your copyright and can be sued.

I don't believe that there's an age limit to copyright infringement, to be honest. If someone wanted to get ugly, they can still sue you and/or your parents/guardians.

And yes, people do ask permission to use an image. I've done it quite often myself. Most people are pretty flexible about allowing images to be used, but you have to be careful. Not everyone checks for copyright before they post an image. You might have the permission of the webmaster to use an image, but the copyright holder can still come back on the both of you.

Does that help any?

[Horus_Kol]

Ali,
The process for dealing with copyright infringement varies, depending on what exactly is being infringed - but a warning usually happens, followed by a request to your host to take action, followed by legal action.

However, the person you have taken an image/video/music from may just skip straight to legal action - and age is typically not a consideration in these matters...


There are a number of sites where you can get open-licenced (no payment, some restrictions) or royalty-free (pay-once, some more restrictions, but you can sometimes get extras like exclusiviity) stock images if you don't want to have to pay for each time an image is viewed.

My two preferred services are:
http://www.sxc.hu/
http://www.morguefile.com/

There is also http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

Be careful - not all of these images at these sites give you completely free reign - some require acknowledgement of the copyright owner, others prevent you from including it in commercial applications, and so on... read the licencing on each image you use.