How to Follow Copyright Laws When Using Web Clip Art

By eHow Computers Editor

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Protect your website from copyright infringement by following copyright laws when using clip art. Image copyright laws apply to clip art, both on the Web and in print publications.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Abide by Copyright Laws for Web Clip Art

Step1

Abide by copyright laws, as the copyright for all content, including photographs, drawings, clip art and text, belongs to the person who originally created it. Content published on the Web does not belong to the public domain. In most cases, clip art available for public use, even when crediting the artist, is not allowed for use on commercial websites.

Step2

Pay for clip art, when required, as most clip art is royalty free, but does not belong to the public domain. This means you will need to purchase a license to use it. Some clip art is available in the public domain, but it tends to be of lower quality.

Step3

Email the artist or administrator of a website if you plan to use a clip art graphic from the site and are unsure of the rules. Be aware that each person who creates clip art, or any other type of content, may establish his own rules to follow for using it on the Web. Some clip art websites will list detailed rules for using it, but others may not display rules at all.

Step4

Keep in mind that some websites may collect clip art created by other artists or taken from other sites, without permission. Therefore, it is very important to read the rules of usage for each clip art graphic. If you cannot find usage information, it is best to choose a different image instead.

Step5

Purchase licenses for the clip art you would like to use from reliable websites to reduce the risk of copyright infringement. For example, using the collection of clip art available in Microsoft Word is a safe approach.

Tips & Warnings

Familiarize yourself with basic copyright laws to follow for publishing content on the Web, as well as rules that apply directly to clip art.
Many websites are closed due to failure to follow copyright infringement laws. Often, images and video files are used without permission or license. Always check with the web administrator of a site if you are not clear on the rules of usage for clip art it contains.