Having a firm grasp of copyright regulations is essential whether you’re developing the next Pulitzer Prize-winning news website or a blog for your business.
Unbelievably many publishers still think that taking content from other websites and posting it on their own without the author’s express consent is permissible as long as they “give credit,” either by linking to the original post or by mentioning the original location of the content.
It goes without saying that the short answer to the question of whether it is legal to copy and paste content without permission is no.
By doing so, you can violate the copyright of the material owner, which could result in expensive legal fees or post-licensing claims.
But, there are some legal ways to repurpose someone else’s content on your website without violating their copyright and running afoul of the law.
The easiest and legal way to republish content that was not originally yours is through content licensing, which is first and foremost among them.
Whether they realize it or not, every publisher’s editorial process includes content licensing.
Every time you buy a picture from Shutterstock or Getty, you’re granting permission for it to be used on your own website (stealing is still stealing, even if you give “credit” for someone else’s image that you took from Google Images).
By licensing the republishing rights from the original publisher, and abiding by their brand guidelines (which often require that you display their copyright notice and, in some cases, a link back to the original article), you can be certain that the content you are using is not going to land you in trouble.
Most of the time, material licensing is expensive and requires payment of a license fee to the original publisher or rights holder.
Depending on the publication (big profile publishers typically charge more than smaller publishers), the material type, and the precise rights you need, the amount you pay will change.
Nonetheless, there are specific circumstances in which you are permitted to republish content without paying a license.
By using a Creative Commons license, some publishers let the reuse of their work under specific conditions. Depending on the specific license, this permits other publications to copy and paste the information without having to pay a price.
The most important thing to keep in mind is to never blindly copy an article, image, or video and republish it on your website. Check to see if the material is marked as free to use, either explicitly or implicitly, and if in doubt, use Creative Commons or Public Domain.
