John B Wright Blog

Regardless of your field, it’s likely that at some point you will publish material for the public domain, be it an annual report, customer newsletter or online blog. The importance of professionalism and care in any printed or published material cannot be overestimated. Should a lax and or casual attitude result in you inadvertently publishing copyrighted material, you may find yourself calling on your business insurance. NJ business owners might consider the following when it comes to copyright.

Copyright laws vary in different countries but in general, copyright covers a whole range of materials including images, artworks, and text, video, film and musical scores. The copyright holder is generally the creator but it may be another party such as an estate or a museum. Should you find an image, text or other item that you would like to include in a publication, you do need to seek permission to use that material, and there may a fee. Use any copyright material without permission and you leave yourself open to a letter of demand for payment, or worse, a lawsuit. 

It’s vital therefore that any business owner implements policies to keep a check that all printed or published material is free of copyright material, and/or that permission has been granted and the appropriate credit included with the image or text. 

The US Copyright Office provides information on copyright. For advice on how to help protect their organization with business insurance, NJ business owners are advised to contact our agent.  

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