This section was prompted by a particular experience. A company that was producing canvas prints for me used my images and supplied them as design proofs to other customers without my authorisation. My website clearly states that everything is protected by copyright and when I take my images to a printer on a CD - again, the CD always states the same in writing on the disc. This was a clear breach of copyright laws. Luckily the firm had a couple of honest employees that alerted me to what what was happening and I was able to deal with matter legallly.
Would you want to deal with a company that doesn't respect Intellectual Property (IP) laws?
Method of enquiry:
Social networking sites and some big corporations state their attitude towards IP in their Terms and Conditions of Service. Always read the small print. You will find that a lot of companies that don't respect IP will setup competitions for people to submit their works (photography being a big one). Their terms and conditions will be similar to the companies listed below. If you enter an image into such competitions, you have given full rights to such organisations to do what they want with your Intellectual Property. Keep an eye on the Artists Bill of Rights website as they list competitions that do and don't respect artists' rights.
Individual businesses were contacted by telephone where the reason for the enquiry was explained: that one of the aims of this business is to help Veterans and other people that cope with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder by using some sort of creative art, that these people may need to use the services of other companies (eg printers) and that I am facilitating a 'safe list' to help such people along, particularly in light of the changes that are being proposed in IP law. The call was followed up by an email that had an example of an Intellectual Property Agreement attched. Please click here to the list of companies that responded positively.
Keep an eye on Stop 43 for in depth information and guidance around these issues.
Companies that chose not to reply are listed in the appropriate section below.
Social Networking sites and large organisations |
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On viewing their terms and conditions, you will see that they grant themselves a licence to do anything they want with your Intellectual Property, (see http://www.facebook.com/legal/terms?ref=pf) Specifically: 'For content that is covered by intellectual property rights, like photos and videos (IP content), you specifically give us the following permission, subject to your privacy and application settings: you grant us a non-exclusive, transferable, sub-licensable, royalty-free, worldwide license to use any IP content that you post on or in connection with Facebook (IP License).' NB this applies to your photos, words, videos, songs etc. |
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Twitter |
You retain your rights to any Content you submit, post or display on or through the Services. By submitting, posting or displaying Content on or through the Services, you grant us a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license (with the right to sublicense) to use, copy, reproduce, process, adapt, modify, publish, transmit, display and distribute such Content in any and all media or distribution methods (now known or later developed). |
Blogger |
Your Intellectual Property Rights. Google claims no ownership or control over any Content submitted, posted or displayed by you on or through Google services. You or a third-party licensor, as appropriate, retain all patent, trademark and copyright to any Content you submit, post or display on or through Google services and you are responsible for protecting those rights, as appropriate. By submitting, posting or displaying Content on or through Google services which are intended to be available to the members of the public, you grant Google a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free licence to reproduce, publish and distribute such Content on Google services for the purpose of displaying and distributing Google services. Google furthermore reserves the right to refuse to accept, post, display or transmit any Content at its sole discretion. |
BBC Website |
What rights do I retain in my work when I submit it to the BBC?If you submit any content to or share any material with the BBC (including any text, photographs, graphics, video or audio) you will retain the copyright in your work. As the non-exclusive licence to the BBC is only a permission for the BBC to use (and potentially sub-license) the content you can also continue to use your content in any way you wish including using it yourself and/or allowing others to use it. |
Companies that refused to sign an Intellectual Property Agreement |
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MPG Books Group Ltd | MPG Books Limited Victoria Square Bodmin Cornwall PL31 1EB t: 01208 265300 e: print@mpg-books.co.uk |
MPG Biddles Limited | MPG Biddles Ltd 24 Rollesby Road Hardwick Industrial Estate King's Lynn Norfolk PE30 4LS UKt: +44 (0)1553 764 728 f: +44 (0)1553 766 820 e: enquiries@mpg-biddles.co.uk |
Companies that refused to reply to the question of their willingness to Respect Intellectual Property |
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