Misconceptions about copyright law, including what it is and how it works, are plentiful on the Web. With little public education on copyright law and even less serious discussion about it, people’s imagination and ignorance seem to fill the gap between knowledge and reality.
What this means, however, is that people often don’t know where to turn for solid advice about what their rights are when dealing with copyright law online. This puts people in danger of either ignoring rights that they have or trying to take advantage of rights that don’t exist.
Either way, a world of hurt is what follows.
That’s why, before the discussion about online plagiarism can continue, we must first discuss copyright law itself and what our rights on the Internet are. Because, without knowing where the line is drawn, we don’t know when we can start the fight.
[...] Just a heads up to anyone who has been following the “Your Copyrights Online” series of the site, I finally got around to posting the second chapter of that series, “Limitations on Copyright”. [...]
I have a question that I hope that you can answer. I was terminated from an employer recently. This was an auto dealership and it is common practice that when you start making more than the general manager and get the business rolling in – they cut you and try to get someone cheaper. I was the special finance manager so I created these advertisements that ran in the local Auto Trader Magazines. I created all of my own ads and advertised my name as " Dr. Lizz- the credit doctor" since I specialized in financing people with bad or no credit. Since I have left, they ran my exact add for two more weeks and then they just kept the same add and took out the " Dr. Lizz" but kept in " call the credit doctor" and put my assistants direct line. Is this legal can they use the ad that I created?? LIzz 616-706-5310
Dr. Lizz:
Many employers ask their employees to sign a document that states that what is created by them while they are employed, belongs to the employer. This is typical in advertising and marketing firms, however, in your situation, that was probably not the case. Since they removed your name and unless you had the material protected through a copyright, they can continue to use the materials you created. They would argue that they paid you for it through your employment.
MO
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