Copy Righted Issue

[Mitch Logan]

Greetings...
I am new here. And I'd like to ask how to handle copyrighted material isue. I run a message board, a new one where people can share or trade pics.

Now even members is just starting to grow, I have difficulties to control all posts. So I am asking how far is my obligation to control my message board from copyrighted material.

[Xeno]

First thing that I noticed in your post here is that you are having difficulties to control all posts. Running a bulletin board is and can be very time consuming if you are trying to do it on your own. You may want to write out a game-plan before you go further with it. You also may want to consider having a few fellow colleagues offer moderator help on a part-time or regular basis.

But to get to your original issue of copyright...you will definitely want to make sure you have a good "Terms and Conditions" of using your bulletin board, that is the first step. The other is that posting or creating any content on your own site will always have dangers, but you want to make sure that anything "you" use from other sources, should have permission. I'm not a lawyer, so I cannot really give any legal advice here, so here is my best advice...if you plan to make your bulletin board an ongoing effort in hopes of being big down the road, perhaps best to consult a lawyer on this subject. You just never know if someone who posts something has stolen someones' content....

Don't want to scare you here, but always best to make sure you look into all possibilities and always have something in place to protect you on any possible copyright issues. I think this is pretty much common for anyone and any kind of site.

[Mitch Logan]

You are right. Now I am still a single fighter, have noone in asistance. Nor a mod. At first its such fun doing this. But now I am about to freaking out about copyrighted issues.

Actually I am not worried about the law enforcement might happen to me or my companies because I am in country where US and it big bro can not touch me, What I am worried is problem might faced with sponsors if somehow I can not keep my board clean from copyrighted material. Yes I will gather some moderators in the future soon as my site is growing fast.

I read somewhere there's pictures are copyrighted even theres no watermark or stamp on. Is it true? if it is how to determine and avoid problem might happen in the future?

[darkcoast]

yea i believe that an image is copyright of the photographer wheater it has a water mark or not on it.

[asdfqwer]

First you would need to make moderators,without them its simply impossible to control the board if it rise in future

Here is a copyright guide
http://www.legalis.net/iddn/english/charter.htm

Offical US copyright dept website where you will find a lot of usefull information
http://www.copyright.gov/

[sfera]

just put at the bottom that you are not associated with the peopel posting on your site

[InGayPorn]

The person that produced the photo automatically holds copyright...no watermark or stamp is required.

It is highly unlikely any sponsor program will get involved in any issues surrounding copyright compliance of a site, despite what their terms and conditions state.

As you do not live in the US, and it would be totally impractical for anyone to pursue you with legal actions, this is what I would hope you would do...

If you want to be a responsible site owner, just respond quickly (within 24 hours) to any copyright complaint. You are technically just the host, so all you are really responsible for is being reactive to complaints. The big frustration for anyone trying to protect their copyright is a site that refuses to be responsive to their complaint. The likely hood of someone making a fake complaint is so remote you don't need to worry about it. Just accept the complaint as being valid and delete the content. I'll be willing to bet you will never get a complaint from the person that posted the photo.

Disclaimer...I am not an attorney, and this is not legal advice. Just the opinion of someone that has been in the business for many years and holds copyright to hundreds of photos and videos.