Avoid copyright infringement on social media with best practices

Avoid copyright infringement on social media with best practices

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As a small business owner in Colorado, you work hard to build your brand and professional reputation. You may rely on trademarks, copyrights, concepts and other intellectual property to make your company, services and products stand apart from the competition. At the law offices of Ciancio Ciancio Brown, P.C. we often represent clients in intellectual property disputes.

According to Business News Daily, social media provides plentiful opportunities for you to connect with users to share content and reach new customers. As a small business owner or manager, understanding copyright infringement laws is essential for avoiding potential litigation.

Copyright laws exist to protect original, creative expression. If you find an image online and post it to your own account, copyright infringement may become an issue. The same is true for anyone that uses your images without your permission.

The only person who may hold a person or business accountable for copyright infringement is the work’s creator. In some cases, that individual may not care or decide not to act. However, if they object to your use of their work and choose to sue you, litigation is expensive.

The maximum penalty for unlawfully using work with copyright is $150,000, excluding attorney fees and other related costs. The creator may choose other options, such as sending a cease and desist letter or a bill for their work.  

Avoid liability and protect your business by instituting best practices. Asking permission from the creator is the best way to avoid copyright disputes. CreativeCommons.org and Flickr are two websites that contain high-quality images with clear guidelines for editorial and commercial use.

Intellectual property and copyright infringement suits can be costly. Taking the appropriate steps when using another’s images and protecting your original work correctly can save time an effort in the long run. Visit our webpage for more information on this topic.