Copyright Your Site
Excerpts of an interview with Harvey S. Jacobs of Joyce & Jacobs

When you put original content in print or on the Web, you automatically have a copyright that is protectable, but don't expect to win damages for copyright infringement if you haven't filed with the Library of Congress, says Harvey Jacobs.

On the other hand, expect to be sued if you use a downloaded image from someone else's site even if it doesn't carry the copyright symbol.

The main thing you want to protect is your creative work.

Jacobs says trademarking is often a better choice than copyrighting the words because trademarking protects distinctive features. It also protects your domain name against cybersquatters.

More people violate copyright of Web than of printed material. That's partly because it's so easy to download, say, a captivating image and put it on your site. Even some who know that's illegal do it because they don't expect to get caught. Others don't see a copyright symbol so consider the image fair game.

Jacobs reminds communicators that trademark, copyright and patent laws apply in cyberspace just as they do in print. If you want to use anything from a site not clearly labeled public domain, get permission and, if required, pay a fee.

To test your knowledge of intellectual property, take his IP Quiz. The site also features a useful Consumer Online Privacy Guide which might be helpful for your Web browsing.

While visiting his site, note his handling of copyright and terms of use. For more information, read the full article, originally published in Writing That Works.