i am (surprise surprise) into blogs. and before i was into blogs, i was into music. now i like to post mp3s to my blog. is it a bad idea to label which song/artist it is -- as in, are there really crazy music coppers who will show up on my doorstep to arrest me? [more inside]
posted by hagelslaag on Nov 27, 2009 - 18 answers

Can anyone point me to the origins/history of the © symbol? I've read that the symbol was first called for in U.S. Copyright Law in the 19th Century - but where does the symbol come from? [more inside]
posted by cinemafiend on Nov 8, 2009 - 14 answers

How to remove a video featuring myself from Youtube or Myspace. Put otherwise: do I have any rights to this? [more inside]
posted by bumpkin on Nov 3, 2009 - 10 answers

Copyright question: if I'm doing a report for school can I copy and paste someone elses graph into my report if I cite them? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Oct 26, 2009 - 17 answers

Copyright filter: Do publishers of books like Richistan, Microtrends and The Ascent of Money—all of which use stories from newspapers, magazines and wire services as source material—have to pay the periodicals for the use of their material? Thanks!
posted by quidividi on Oct 12, 2009 - 2 answers

Why are there so many covers songs on youtube? [more inside]
posted by robotot on Oct 10, 2009 - 13 answers

What are the best searchable sources for copyright-free historical and other images? I know about Wikimedia Commons, about searching for Creative Commons licensed material on Flickr, and about some regional repositories such as the Washington State Digital Archives (where I work). What other good sources are out there? Google searches lead me to subscription databases of stock photos.
posted by LarryC on Sep 25, 2009 - 9 answers

What are the legalities of mentioning copyrighted characters in a work of fiction? [more inside]
posted by Eumachia L F on Sep 7, 2009 - 13 answers

I have invented a card game and would like to protect it before I start large-scale game testing. I can't find useful information about the laws surrounding protecting this kind of intellectual property. First, what kind of protections should I be seeking for a card game? Second, any recommendations on reputable, ethical lawyers in Seattle who can help me protect my game?
posted by velvetsmog on Sep 4, 2009 - 9 answers

Someone wants to license a public domain photo from me - does that even work? [more inside]
posted by AzraelBrown on Aug 21, 2009 - 17 answers

What happened to the US public performance rights for many Studio Ghibli (home of director Hayao Miyazaki) animated films? I'm trying to set up a film festival and no one seems to know who owns the rights.. is there any way to find out? [more inside]
posted by muscatlove on Aug 20, 2009 - 5 answers

What are the rules regarding logos captured incidentally in documentary? [more inside]
posted by yellowbinder on Aug 20, 2009 - 3 answers

Question about copyright of DVD/CD cover images, and movie images/posters, and posting them on a blog. [more inside]
posted by t-rex on Aug 20, 2009 - 8 answers

I run a website dedicated to vintage PC games (that is, games from the late 80s, early 90s). Ad revenue has been declining, and a co-admin suggested making t-shirts to sell to support the site. I have questions about what art/words we can use on the shirts. [more inside]
posted by IndigoRain on Aug 17, 2009 - 10 answers

Paging the MeFi Counterfeit Brigade. Two logos are suspiciously similar. How likely is it that the more recent design was copied? [more inside]
posted by weapons-grade pandemonium on Aug 12, 2009 - 16 answers

Do print ads for bars/restaurants have to blur the labels on the beers they carry in pictures? Our bar is putting out an ad in a magazine and the picture we're planning on using has a lot of the beers we carry in it. Do we have to censor the labels of beers we carry at our bar for the print ad for any reason? [more inside]
posted by rmrudy on Aug 12, 2009 - 8 answers

About 15 years ago I was told that still images shot off a video monitor fall under fair use provisions for print publications, as long as the frame of the console is clearly visible in the shot. Is this true? [more inside]
posted by Morpeth on Aug 6, 2009 - 10 answers

Does a principle called 'Cover Your Tracks' exist in copyright? [more inside]
posted by jfrancis on Jul 30, 2009 - 13 answers

Can I use the "Time Management Matrix" in a commercial software product without any legal repercussions? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Jul 29, 2009 - 2 answers

Can I legally stage an original play based on a short story I didn't write? [more inside]
posted by Lutoslawski on Jul 20, 2009 - 18 answers

I want to start a midnight movie night at the bar I work at. I would like to have a cheesy fun movie play(Flash gordon, troll 2, barbarella, heavy metal, etc.), and then have a band play. How can I do this legally? Who do I go to get permission from ? I need to do this as cheaply as legally can be done. Do I have to hop thru all the hoops that a real cinema has to, to show cult films from the 70's and 80's if there is a cover at the bar? [more inside]
posted by donabean on Jul 19, 2009 - 27 answers

What is the legality of making a site like www.instantboss.org or a movie sound board in the state of PA? [more inside]
posted by xdeliriumx on Jul 14, 2009 - 4 answers

As a freelance programmer, how do you handle code copyright? [more inside]
posted by pengale on Jul 10, 2009 - 5 answers

What is the copyright status of the movie The Robot vs. The Aztec Mummy? [more inside]
posted by clockworkjoe on Jun 22, 2009 - 10 answers

What's the copyright status of TV show scripts? Not the original scripts themselves, but versions transcribed from the show as it was broadcast? [more inside]
posted by ixohoxi on Jun 11, 2009 - 9 answers

If I want to publish Obama's recipe for chilli in my cookbook, do I need Obama's permission? How about Elvis Presley's Peanut Butter Sandwich? You can find all these recipes on internet for free, do I need permission if I want to include them in my cookbook?
posted by leigh1 on Jun 6, 2009 - 17 answers

What's the cheapest, simplest, most effective way to stop somebody else from owning my logo? [more inside]
posted by philip-random on Jun 3, 2009 - 14 answers

Do I have to remove photos from Flickr if I put it up for sale on istockphoto? [more inside]
posted by austinlee on May 27, 2009 - 4 answers

I'm trying to find out: a) is the song copyrighted? b) who owns it? c) will they let me use it? (is this a pipe dream?) The song is Ice Pick Mike by Lalo Schifrin, and it's on the soundtrack to Bullitt. Totally groovin', BTW. :)
posted by raising_arizona on May 26, 2009 - 5 answers

If I put most of my photos in the public domain, how different does one of the photos need to be for me to *not* label it as public domain and retain copyright and try to sell it? [more inside]
posted by y6y6y6 on May 19, 2009 - 7 answers

If I take a photo in a restaurant or other business, do I own the copyright of that image? [more inside]
posted by y6y6y6 on May 11, 2009 - 29 answers

What are some good readings on copyright law and practice for a graduate level digital history class? [more inside]
posted by LarryC on Apr 29, 2009 - 21 answers

Related to this question, but beyond Flickr: where it's just random product images, can I or can't I re-host their image with proper credit and a link? [more inside]
posted by like_neon on Apr 29, 2009 - 2 answers

I'm making a magazine (for a class), and one of the articles is about video game addictions. I wanted something that stood out for the title page, and I found this great little image. I used parts of it (pieces of the image, as well as the exact color) to make the title page image. [more inside]
posted by ismaelsobek on Apr 28, 2009 - 5 answers

What sort of copyright protection do performers (burlesque, specifically, but any stage performance works) have? What about tribute acts? [more inside]
posted by divabat on Apr 17, 2009 - 21 answers

Somebody stole and is reproducing artwork that I never copyrighted or trademarked. What can I do? Details inside... [more inside]
posted by maalsa on Apr 16, 2009 - 18 answers

A home video of mine was taken down from Google Video by Warner Music because of the soundtrack. Should I dispute? [more inside]
posted by infinitefloatingbrains on Mar 31, 2009 - 40 answers

Whose permission do I need to reprint publications of the Canadian government? [more inside]
posted by synecdoche on Mar 25, 2009 - 3 answers

Is anyone familiar with photomaniacal.com? They are taking posts from my friend's blog and seemingly posting them as their own, with no credit and no permission. We cannot find contact information. What can we do?
posted by foxinthesnow on Mar 11, 2009 - 5 answers

Can copyrighted images be used on grave markers? [more inside]
posted by kwaller on Mar 11, 2009 - 16 answers

I make web sites and created a web app for a client and now they want to own the copyright in exchange for equity. Help me find a New York based web friendly lawyer to ensure the new contract protects me. Tips are also appreciated on a fair equity percentage to ask for.
posted by avex on Mar 9, 2009 - 3 answers

Why do movie credits always contain the line "This motion picture was created by <company> for purposes of copyright law in the United Kingdom"? [more inside]
posted by Mwongozi on Feb 26, 2009 - 5 answers

Can I use a song lyric/title as my business name? Or is it copyright protected? [more inside]
posted by jourman2 on Feb 23, 2009 - 22 answers

Legal boffins! I paid a photographer a few hundred pounds to shoot some of my sculptures. No contracts were exchanged, and no agreements were made about where the photos would be used. Now a magzine would like to use these photos in a forthcoming issue! Awesome. But the photographer says I don't have a license to allow a third-party to publish these. Is he right? Do I own the photos or does he? I don't have the pieces any more so can't get another set of photos made... Am I screwed? Thanks guys :) PS: I'm in the UK if that makes a difference...
posted by basil1 on Feb 17, 2009 - 22 answers

Can I show All Rights Reserved flickr pictures on my blog if they aren't mine? [more inside]
posted by that girl on Feb 9, 2009 - 19 answers

I have invented a calendar that I think is unique in design and function. [more inside]
posted by CollectiveMind on Feb 8, 2009 - 12 answers

How can I stop my roommates from using our shared internet connection to download or share copyrighted files? [more inside]
posted by boby on Jan 29, 2009 - 17 answers

Is the phrase "Yankees Suck" copyrighted? Presumably the kids who made the Yankees Suck t-shirts own the logo, but what about the phrase?
posted by lulululu on Jan 26, 2009 - 7 answers

Can I give companies free advertising on our website without their permission? [more inside]
posted by UMDirector on Jan 25, 2009 - 6 answers

YouTube yanked my Star Wars on a Banjo video saying Warner Music Group was claiming infringement. Did I break the law? Do I have any recourse? [more inside]
posted by willc on Jan 18, 2009 - 15 answers