Copyright Basics
Copyright Basics
How do you know if you're infringing someone's copyright, trademark or other rights when you create your advert?
To find out, look at the guidelines below. This will help you determine if your content is infringing (breaking copyright law) or
prohibited. Not allowing these items or content on WantAd protects you from liability.
Contrary to popular belief, the fact that material is posted on the world wide web does not mean it is in the "public domain" or otherwise
free to be taken, copied or used by others. Creators of web content probably have copyright, trademark and other rights in the material
they create. Copying, modifying and possibly linking to content created by others could expose you to legal liability.
When you prepare your advert, you should use only material (text, photographs, etc.) and trademarks/names that you created or own yourself or licensed from the owners. You cannot link to somebody else's picture (so it appears in your advert) without the owner's permission.
What is a copyright?
A copyright is the protection given to certain original works of authorship, including text, pictures, music, video etc. The owner of a
copyright holds the exclusive right to duplicate, distribute and create derivative works from his work.Advertisements often contain text,
photographs and the names/trademarks of companies. The text, photograph and video which you create and use in a advertisement may be protected by copyright laws.
If you copy someone else's text or original photograph or other content, or copy text or photographs or other content from any other
place, you may be infringing someone's copyright. They may be able to request the ending of your advertisement.
Here are some examples of potentially infringing behaviour:
• You scan a photograph of Elvis Presley (without permission) to use in a advertisement in which you are wanting to purchase an
authentic autograph of Elvis Presley
• You copy someone else's text and without permission paste it into your own advertisement to advertise for the same item (Making
slight modifications to the text may not relieve you of liability if it is substantially similar to the original text.)
• You copy the URL of a photograph appearing on a golf club manufacturer's web site or another user's advertisement causing the
photograph to appear in your advertisement (without permission).
What is a trademark?
A trademark is a name or logo used by a company (or person) to identify its goods or services.
If you are advertising for a brand name product, you can probably show a picture of the product and refer to the company by name, but you cannot do so in such a way that it suggests that your advert is approved, sponsored or endorsed by the manufacturer. Also, you must be careful not to advertise for and subsequently purchase products which bear the brand name of a company which did not make the product.
Here are some examples of potentially infringing adverts:
• You prepare an advertisement for non-branded sunglasses, but you use the Rayban® trademark in your advertisement
• You are advertising for a non-Disney® stuffed animal, but use a picture of Mickey Mouse® in your advertisement
For more information about copyrights and trademarks
• Copyright Licensing Agency (United Kingdom)
• The Creators' Rights Alliance
• Authors' Licensing and Collecting Society
• UK legislation
• International Trademark Association — FAQs on Tradmarks