Is Your Website Safe from Copyright Fines?

Sep 20

Welcome back to the Rainbow Reflections newsletter.

I had an interesting conversation with a client the other day (who wishes to remain anonymous), and I wanted to share it with you because it's a situation that could happen to anyone if you're not careful.

What Happened

A client recently received a fine from a lawyer after unknowingly violating copyright laws. They had used commercial photos of celebrities on their blog without permission from the photographers who took the photos. It seemed harmless at the time, but this mistake quickly led to legal trouble and a financial penalty. The penalty was steep—upwards of thousands of dollars.

With the rise of AI, it’s easier than ever to check for compliance online, especially with photography. Not that you couldn’t get in trouble before, but it's going to become more and more common as AI tools make it easier to discover who is performing copyright infringement. This is a growing issue, and staying vigilant is key.

Why it Happened

It’s easy to overlook, especially if you're focused on creating visually impactful content. But copyright laws protect photography and other forms of media, and using photos you don’t own (or don’t have the right to use) can lead to serious legal issues, like this fine. Even if it's just for inspiration, using someone else's intellectual property without permission can have significant consequences.

Just because you found an inspiration photo on Pinterest, Instagram or another platform doesn’t mean you’re legally allowed to use that photo in your own work. Always check for licensing and permissions before using images you didn’t create yourself.

What We Can Learn from This

This situation serves as a reminder to all of us to be mindful of the content we use on our websites and social media. Take some time to review your platforms for any photography, images, or media that you don’t own or have permission to use. If you find anything questionable, it’s better to replace it now rather than risk legal issues down the line.

How to Resolve Potential Issues

The good news is, you don’t have to stop using beautiful, engaging imagery! If you haven’t seen it, I have a blog post resource with links to my favorite stock photo sources. These options will help you express your brand and message without the risk of legal trouble.