Is Your Blog Content Copyrighted?

Is the content that you publish on your blog copyrighted? If yes, what kind of content comes under the purview of copyright protection? In this article, I will focus on the copyright of bloggers, what they can do to protect their blog content and how they can avoid using copyright protected content.

As a blogger you put in hard work, time and money to create original and useful content. If someone steals your valuable content what options you have to protect your blog content or what steps you can take to prevent such activities.

If you use a blog to showcase your content, you would be glad to know that all the content including music, articles, images, videos, software are copyright protected. Therefore, it is imperative on the part of users to use these materials carefully. You must get necessary permission from the authorized owner of the content to use the content in any form.  

According to DMCA (Digital Media Copyright Act), unauthorized use of content from someone else’s website is illegal. If you are a victim of copyright infringement you can send a notice to DMCA. For more details please contact Google support. 

Steps to protect blog content online you can take following steps

1.You can display copyright notice on your website.

2.Use a creative common license that enables users to understand how they can use your blog content.

3.You can use Copyscape or Google alert to check and prevent unauthorized use of your blog content.

4.Use watermark in your images to prevent unauthorized use of your copyrighted images.

5.You can configure your RSS feed to prevent unauthorized use of your blog content by the scrappers. WordPress users can get more details here on WordPress support.

If you use Bogger blog, keep in mind that Blogger is authorized to remove your content if you infringe copyrights of someone else. However, if you strongly believe that you are the owner of the content Blogger also provides you the opportunity to file a counter-notice. To file a counter-notice please contact Google support. 

How to ensure that you are not infringing copyright of others

1.      Always use original content that you have created yourself. In the event of using someone else’s work of authorship please make sure to get formal permission from the authorized owner.

2.      Use only creative common images and make sure to read carefully how the images can be used. For example, if the owner does not allow modifications or commercial use of the images make sure you strictly follow the guidelines.

3.      Use Copyscape to check originality or uniqueness of your literary work. Copyscape software enables bloggers to check the originality of the content that the blogger has created.

Read: how to create unique and useful blog content

Keeping all these points in mind can significantly help you to protect your blog content. At the same time, it will save you from violating someone else’s copyrighted work of authority.

However, bloggers must remember legal framework alone cannot protect your blog content, you must regularly check to ensure that someone else is not using your blog content. In the event of copyright violation bring the matter immediately to the notice of DMCA.

If someone has violated your blog copyrights in the past, please feel free to share your story with us. It will help users to protect blog content to take appropriate action in the event of copyright violation.