Website and copyright/ pictures

**Legacykid** · 03-10-2015, 01:55 PM

Im building a website and looking for info on how to go about copyrighting. Do I have to go through a company, or just write "(C)Copyright 2015. All rights reserved." I have tried to search but can not find anything solid.

Also pictures on a website is it best to watermark them? I have read a few threads about people stealing there pictures. And if so does this work for all social media?

**OCDetails** · 03-10-2015, 03:00 PM

I would watermark them for sure. There are several ways to do that. You can either plant it on each image with Photoshop sometime before you upload them, or you can just load them all into a program that does the watermark for you. If you are building the site through Wordpress then there are a few different plugins that will batch watermark images for you. It is always a good idea to put something on your picture just to keep people from trying to pass your work off as theirs, but you should know that the automotive companies own the trademark and copyright of any picture you take of their products. So unless you are going to scrub the emblems off and any other identifying mark, you really don't own the copyright of the picture. If you plan on your site taking off huge and getting lots of attention then I would just stick with a ghost image of your logo somewhere on the image (like the way Autogeek does with theirs) and call it a day.

I've got a couple pictures that I have to chase down people for every once in awhile. I've got a picture of my son washing a little pedal car from ten years ago and I get five or 6 emails a year from people saying that they have found it on someone's website. Because it isn't a picture of a specific car, I absolutely own the copyright on it. On pictures like that I will definitely send a cease and desist letter and make them take it down. However, on a picture of a great correction on a car that is clearly identifiable with a brand, I don't pursue those as often. It isn't harming me in any way if someone uses my picture. If they suck so badly that they can't get decent results worth photographing, then I guess they'll have to steal from masters like us who can and do get results.

(say that to yourself when someone steals a picture and you'll actually feel proud that your work was good enough for someone to take)

Copyright anything else on your site, though. Any articles you write belong to you. Even posts on a message board like this belong to you (thus you'll see the copyright in my signature on the recommendation of Mike Phillips years ago) Protect anything that you create vigorously.

**Setec Astronomy** · 03-10-2015, 03:39 PM

Originally Posted by OCDetails

Even posts on a message board like this belong to you

Um...I think not. From the forum rules:

14. All messages posted to AutogeekOnline become the property of Autogeek.net. and may not be deleted without first obtaining permission.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...rum-rules.html

**kb2ehj** · 03-10-2015, 03:45 PM

Good link to read down through:

Photography and Copyright Law

Just because Autogeek thinks they "own" what is posted, still doesn't make them the copyright owner

**OCDetails** · 03-10-2015, 03:55 PM

Originally Posted by Setec Astronomy

Um...I think not. From the forum rules:

14. All messages posted to AutogeekOnline become the property of Autogeek.net. and may not be deleted without first obtaining permission.

http://www.autogeekonline.net/forum/...rum-rules.html

That is highly arguable. Just because it is in the rules doesn't mean it is enforceable. Personally I'm surprised that kind of language is in the rules. That would open them up to a lot of liability. If I tell people that bleach and ammonia is the best carpet cleaner anywhere and then someone died using it, I guarantee that a lawyer would love nothing more than to know that the information is owned and published on Autogeek and not some nobody like me. I don't think what Autogeek intended was to say they own the copyright on the material. They just don't want people to think that they can open and edit their posts anytime they want. After a few minutes you can't edit anymore and you have to have a moderator make changes for you.

**Dr_Pain** · 03-10-2015, 04:12 PM

Originally Posted by OCDetails

That is highly arguable. Just because it is in the rules doesn't mean it is enforceable. Personally I'm surprised that kind of language is in the rules. That would open them up to a lot of liability. If I tell people that bleach and ammonia is the best carpet cleaner anywhere and then someone died using it, I guarantee that a lawyer would love nothing more than to know that the information is owned and published on Autogeek and not some nobody like me. I don't think what Autogeek intended was to say they own the copyright on the material. They just don't want people to think that they can open and edit their posts anytime they want. After a few minutes you can't edit anymore and you have to have a moderator make changes for you.

I don't want to disagree with your post but I have to point out that there is quite a bit of difference between liability laws and intellectual Property laws. If you post in a public domain material associated with "work product" knowing (or at least being aware of rules and regulations of the site... even if you haven't read them) then you are legally bound to those rules and regulations. In this case, Autogeek does not OWN the material but has the right to use it with or without your permission. You can always seek injunctive relief from the court but you will lose.

Your bleach example is different. Autogeek may be the forum place where you shared your information and does still retain the ability to include the information without referencing you as the source BUT the liability of the information on the forum reside between you and the reader. If the reader decide to "try" your suggestion and fail then they have to accept the liability UNLESS you present yourself as the expert, have credentials etc... you may be subjected to liabilities if you intentionally and maliciously mislead but since you do not force your process or took on the physical work yourself, the outcome and ultimate liability befall the person who tried it. Autogeek being the transferring medium is absolved of liability UNLESS they chose to sponsor or knowingly failed to do their due diligence OR if they accept the liabilities of the erroneous information by including it in their own written material.

**Legacykid** · 03-10-2015, 04:12 PM

Originally Posted by OCDetails

I would watermark them for sure. There are several ways to do that. You can either plant it on each image with Photoshop sometime before you upload them, or you can just load them all into a program that does the watermark for you. If you are building the site through Wordpress then there are a few different plugins that will batch watermark images for you. It is always a good idea to put something on your picture just to keep people from trying to pass your work off as theirs, but you should know that the automotive companies own the trademark and copyright of any picture you take of their products. So unless you are going to scrub the emblems off and any other identifying mark, you really don't own the copyright of the picture. If you plan on your site taking off huge and getting lots of attention then I would just stick with a ghost image of your logo somewhere on the image (like the way Autogeek does with theirs) and call it a day.

I've got a couple pictures that I have to chase down people for every once in awhile. I've got a picture of my son washing a little pedal car from ten years ago and I get five or 6 emails a year from people saying that they have found it on someone's website. Because it isn't a picture of a specific car, I absolutely own the copyright on it. On pictures like that I will definitely send a cease and desist letter and make them take it down. However, on a picture of a great correction on a car that is clearly identifiable with a brand, I don't pursue those as often. It isn't harming me in any way if someone uses my picture. If they suck so badly that they can't get decent results worth photographing, then I guess they'll have to steal from masters like us who can and do get results.

(say that to yourself when someone steals a picture and you'll actually feel proud that your work was good enough for someone to take)

Copyright anything else on your site, though. Any articles you write belong to you. Even posts on a message board like this belong to you (thus you'll see the copyright in my signature on the recommendation of Mike Phillips years ago) Protect anything that you create vigorously.

Makes sense thanks

Originally Posted by kb2ehj

Good link to read down through:

Photography and Copyright Law

Just because Autogeek thinks they "own" what is posted, still doesn't make them the copyright owner

Will give it a read

**OCDetails** · 03-10-2015, 04:26 PM

Originally Posted by Dr_Pain

I don't want to disagree with your post but I have to point out that there is quite a bit of difference between liability laws and intellectual Property laws. If you post in a public domain material associated with "work product" knowing (or at least being aware of rules and regulations of the site... even if you haven't read them) then you are legally bound to those rules and regulations. In this case, Autogeek does not OWN the material but has the right to use it with or without your permission. You can always seek injunctive relief from the court but you will lose.

Your bleach example is different. Autogeek may be the forum place where you shared your information and does still retain the ability to include the information without referencing you as the source BUT the liability of the information on the forum reside between you and the reader. If the reader decide to "try" your suggestion and fail then they have to accept the liability UNLESS you present yourself as the expert, have credentials etc... you may be subjected to liabilities if you intentionally and maliciously mislead but since you do not force your process or took on the physical work yourself, the outcome and ultimate liability befall the person who tried it. Autogeek being the transferring medium is absolved of liability UNLESS they chose to sponsor or knowingly failed to do their due diligence OR if they accept the liabilities of the erroneous information by including it in their own written material.

Fortunately Autogeek is a good place and I'm sure they wouldn't rip off my pictures or posts without asking permission first. I have no doubt that there are thousands of guys here who would love to have Mike use one of their pictures in his next book. I'm proud that I've got a couple pictures of my work on the store as examples of products in use. I wouldn't have been upset even if I didn't know they were being used, but fortunately Autogeek is a gentleman and always asks.

I don't disagree with your points though. I'm just saying where there is injury there will be a 'but for' search that will end at the deepest pockets. I would be padding my TACs with some very specific language to get me off the hook if I was exposed to that. In fact, I used to have a document on my site that had some liability disclaimers in it. I should probably put that back up again...

The bottom line is that if someone wants your picture or your content, they will get it. If you have put it out on the interwebs then it is fair game. Want to disable your right click? Go ahead and do that and I'll just screen capture what I want or retype it. Or I'll just clone the website and pull the pictures down that way. If someone really wants your content, then they will take it. Most people won't do that and simply putting a watermark at the bottom of the image is enough to stop most people. You may even be able to have the photo host like Photobucket attach a watermark automatically to claim the picture for yourself. It helps you look more professional at any rate.