Picture this.  You're crafting a great LinkedIn post or writing the perfect e-book, and it comes time to add images.  There’s just one problem: You don’t know if you’re actually allowed to use the photo due to photo copyright.

Here are some helpful tips you need to know before you share someone else’s image online.

What is image copyright?

A copyright is something that protects creative works. In the United States, section 106 of the Copyright Law states that only the copyright holder can:

• reproduce the work
• make derivative works based on the work
• distribute the work to the public
• display the work publicly

What about fair use?

Fair use is an exception to copyright limits that allows copyrighted works to be used without permission for specific “transformative” purposes that serve the public good.

What might a court considering a fair use lawsuit be looking at:

• Is it for commercial, non-profit, or educational use?
• Is the copyrighted work highly creative, or more fact-based?
• How much of the work is reproduced?
• How does the use affect the potential market for the original work?

What is Creative Commons?

Creative Commons is a system that allows content creators to make their work available for certain purposes without requiring express permission. Places where Creative Commons (or CC) licenses occur include sites like Flickr, Wikipedia, or YouTube.

While photo copyright may seem like an annoyance when you’re looking for an image for your next post or presentation; remember those same copyright laws protect all of the content you create and share online. You should always check permissions before using content to avoid putting both you and your business at risk.

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photo courtesy of pexels.com