Social media is a part of everyday life now, and many individuals and Connecticut businesses have accounts on multiple platforms that allow them to do everything from share their thoughts to try a new dance trend on video. Because of how most people use social media in their daily lives, few give consideration to the legal ownership of the things they post. In reality, there could be limits to what one can post or share on his or her personal or business accounts.
There are times when copyright law intersects with social media use, and it could lead to legal disputes over the rightful ownership and use of certain types of images and intellectual property. It could be in your interests to know how you can protect your own property and what to do if there is an infringement on your copyright. This is especially critical for social media marketing purposes.
Protecting your property
The intent of copyright law is to protect intellectual property. This includes pictures, graphics, designs and other types of non-physical assets used for marketing and other purposes. Copyrights protect property such as music, photos, software, website design and more. Copyright protection begins as soon as something is in its tangible format, but it is prudent to still seek copyright registration as soon as possible. This will be important if you pursue litigation over copyright infringement in the future.
If you are unsure of what you should protect, consider whether it is something another company may want to use as part of a digital marketing campaign. Images, videos and other types of intellectual property are easily accessible, and someone could use your property as quickly as they can click and save it. It is more important than ever to shield your digital property as much as you would your physical assets.
After a copyright infringement
The infringement of a copyright is a type of theft, and you have the right to take action if this happens to you. It may be necessary to pursue litigation in order to stop the infringement and seek appropriate compensation. You may benefit from learning what types of property have copyright protection, how you can register copyrighted property and what to do if another party takes and uses your property on social media as if it was their own.