Legal Things to Consider When Publishing Online Content

If you’re a content creator or a blogger, you must never forget that publishing content online always comes with legal responsibilities. While publishing anything online is free, you should not overlook the fact that there are rules you must follow because you may end up facing legal issues if you do not comply with the legal requirements. One of the basic laws you should know about is the intellectual property and privacy law. 

In this article, we will discuss the legal things to consider when publishing online content. And how legal things are related to the laws and how they apply to your online content or blog. 

Let’s get to it!

1. Copyright Law

One of the legal things you should consider when publishing online content is copyright law. Copyright is a legal right, giving owners control over their work and how others will use it. Just so you know, copyright law applies to the material immediately after the owner created it and not merely ideas. There’s no need to have a registration system for the material, as long as the owner made the content. 

As a blogger or content creator yourself, you must be careful not infringing copyright laws. Before publishing anything, make sure to ask the content creator’s permission if you will post their material on your blog. 

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2. Creative Commons License

A creative commons license is related to copyright laws. It is the one that allows content creators to authorize others to use their content without infringing copyright. But, don’t get your hopes up because you still need to consider factors before publishing other works on your blog, even with the presence of a creative commons license. For example, under the creative commons license is the attribution license. In an attribution license, the creator may allow you to copy or publish their work provided that you acknowledge them as the creator. You must know about these things so you can avoid infringing copyright laws. 

3. Guidelines Related to Online Reviews

If you’re a blogger giving online reviews, you should be knowledgeable about the guidelines you should follow when writing or publishing. Check if there are specific guidelines when writing a review for business, goods, and services in your state. If there is none, it’s vital that your online reviews maintain the integrity and only present an accurate and honest opinion. Why? Because most consumers rely on bloggers like you when it comes to their purchase decisions. 

4. Disclosure of Relationship Between You and the Business You’re Reviewing

It’s also vital to be transparent with your consumers. You must disclose whether or not you have an existing relationship with the business you are reviewing because that may impact your review. If the business pays for advertising on your blog, they have the power to select reviews to appear at the top of your blog or prevent you from publishing negative reviews. In that case, your consumers should know about it. 

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5. Use of Trademarks and Brand names

The most common question that writers have is whether or not they can utilize brand names in their books. That is a difficult question to answer. While mentioning names is acceptable, writers should be wary of trademark infringement, dilution, and tarnishment. Authors will not be prosecuted for just utilizing a brand name. Popular works like Bret Easton Ellis’ Glamorama and David Foster Wallace’s Infinite Jest would have never been published if it had been the case.

The Wrap

As a content creator, you must remember that it’s not all about how good your content is. You must think about the legal considerations before publishing anything online because that may risk you and your reputation as a blogger or creator. Knowing about these legal things to consider will place you in a good position and allow you to avoid legal disputes that may arise. 

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