Online copyright laws and fair use - the ultimate guide

Digital technologies are transforming how we communicate as a society and how we find and use information. For idea generation, innovation, and dissemination, digital tools are becoming increasingly popular.

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Digital content is designed to be copied, shared, and modified. The capacity to reuse and combine content into new works opens up a world of creative possibilities. Navigating copyright in a digital context, on the other hand, can be complex.

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We recommend encouraging users to follow specific rights and license declarations that focus on allowed behavior, offering value that isn't dependent on copy control, and thinking twice about posting restricted information online.

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Everything You Need to Know About Online Images Copyright

We recognize the significance of visuals. Using photos to break up a long post can make it seem less intimidating, and the appropriate image can help you get your point through. 

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At a younger age, visuals make reading a lot more enjoyable. Ordinary two-year-olds have no idea how to read, but a stack of picture books will keep them occupied for hours. 

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We never grow tired of looking at photographs, but we mustn't become complacent and disregard copyright regulations.

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What is Copyright?

Copyright is the right to regulate the copying of one's work (hence the term "copyright"). Under the New Zealand Copyright Act 1994, copyright is an internationally recognized legal protection that grants someone, generally the author or publisher, the exclusive right to reproduce, distribute, display, perform, convey, or adapt an original work for a fixed length of time. The copyright owner also has the exclusive rights to license that work to others, allowing them to duplicate and reuse it.

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Now that we've covered what copyright is and how it protects a piece of work, let's look at when copyright is used.

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The moment an original work is made and fixed, copyright is attached. This applies to works that have been published and those that have not yet been published. Copyright laws protect you when you write a blog post, take a photo, or make a video. Copyright begins to cover you the moment you upload a selfie. Even if you never post that selfie to Instagram because your face is so splotchy that no filter can restore it, copyright law protects the image.

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When is it permissible to use another person's image?

The general rule is that you must obtain permission from the creator before using their work (it's a good idea to get this in writing). Does this imply that each of the billions of images on the internet is either permitted by the artist? Or infringes on copyright for online images? The truth is no, which is where the concept of fair use plays its part.

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What is Fair Use?

Fair dealing (also known as "fair use" in some areas of the globe) is a crucial idea in copyright law. It allows anyone to use copyrighted content in ways that would otherwise necessitate obtaining the copyright holder's permission.

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As you might expect, fair use isn't a black-and-white issue. There might be a lot of confusion about what is considered beneficial to the public if you aren't a lawyer with a deep understanding of copyright law and internet photo copyrights. To clarify things, four variables decide whether or not the usage of an image is "fair":

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1. Educational, nonprofit, scholarly, reporting, reviewing, or research purposes.

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2. The type of content used: factual or public (courts are usually more protective of creative works).

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3. The amount and quality of the image used: only a tiny portion of the image was used, and only a small thumbnail/low-resolution version of the image was used.

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4. The market effect: the copyrighted material could not be purchased or licensed.

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Options for Online Copyright-Safe Image

Fair use laws are complicated, as should be evident by now. While you could do a lot of research, learn the rules, and continue to utilize Google Image search to get photographs, this is a risky option. It only takes one mistake to receive an unwanted cease and desist email.

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Here are the recommended options you can do:

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1. Make your graphics using Photoshop. If you have no design skills, try using a DIY graphic design tool like Dzyn Space, which promises to make design simple for everyone. Try out their many free graphics and open-source image editors.
2. Look for free stock photos to download. You may always get free stock photographs if you utilize a lot of images or don't have the funds to pay for them. You can check out Pixabay, Stocksnap.io, Flickr, and Unsplash.
3. Buy stock photos online. You'll have a considerably simpler time locating what you're looking for if you choose premium versus free. You can check it from Getty Images, Fotolia, iStock, and many more.

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Conclusion

If you remember one thing from this post, make it this: if there's even a speck of ambiguity about whether or not an image is protected by copyright, presume it is. Either consult a copyright attorney or go with the safe choice and use one of the stock photo sites suggested above. We can't emphasize how costly it is to use a copyrighted photograph. The good news is that it's a simple mistake to avoid.

So if you're going to use an image and want to create your graphics effortlessly, you should try a DIY graphic design tool like Dzyn Space, where you can create graphics at ease and in minutes! You'll never have the trouble of thinking about copyright issues.

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