Copying reviews onto own website

pitkin2020

Eliza wrote: »

Yes I agree, and with my own business I just have a link through to tripadvisor but these other people don't really understand how it works (not being internet users themselves) so are reliant on a young girl to set it up for them. I haven't been asked to help so am meddling really but would hate them to get into trouble because of ignorance of how it all works, - or copyright. And not only have the TA reviews been copied, they have also been edited (but the authors' names and home towns are still there - ouch and even more ouch!)

Tripadvisor has had some stick recently because of claims of false reviews etc, but people still do feel that overall it is valuable.

TA copyright aside they will have made their business look even worse. Generally people will look for reviews and when they come across TA site for themselves and notice the reviews partly match the ones on the site, yet have been edited it won't look good.

Tell them they need to do it properly or not bother at all, half arsed attempts will just them in much worse light.

jexygirl

I would (and often do) place a trip advisor link on our facebook page, but I would not copy paste /edit them to our site even if it was legal. There is a direct link on our site to both TA and facebook - so whatever reviews we get are there for all to see - honesty from the start. I think if you copy paste a good review, then someone checks out the entire TA page and sees the bad ones it would do more damage, than being transparent with your potential customers from the start.

fred7777

steve1980 wrote: »

It's copyright, plain and simple.

It's copy right but not necessarily that simple.

Copy right law allows for "fair dealing" where you can use someone else' work without breaking copyright in certain circumstances. A review is one of these circumstances, film companies do it all the time quoting lines of reviews on their posters (sometimes out of context), you have to acknowledge the original creator and not quote too much of the review.

Having said that the copyright holder can still sue, they would loose, but they can still try and make your life difficult. It's safer to get the copyright holders permission (whoever that is)

If as you say it's a hotel then a simpler option may be to have a guests comments book which people could write in with a note that comments may be used for publicity purposes.

jexygirl

ooohhh.... now that's an interesting point Fred. I have often thought about taking photos of our actual real life visitors book, where customers leave written comments, and then posting those images onto our website /facebook, and also onto trip advisor, as a way to re inforce all the good stuff written in cyberspace. Would that cause issues do you think - I never thought that much about it till now.

Eliza_2

I think it's important that anyone writing in it should be made aware that their comments might be used in that way and any identifying features (eg names and addresses or other details that might identify someone) are removed. Maybe a column in the visitor's book that they could initial to give permission? Might be difficult if you're taking pictures of the actual page.

The difference with TA is that their terms and conditions do state that the copyright of reviews is theirs so they don't come under fair dealing and the copyright of your customers' reviews is with them so they need to give permission one way or another.

Also as owner of the business you can't put your own reviews onto TA.

jexygirl

Eliza wrote: »

Also as owner of the business you can't put your own reviews onto TA.

No I know that, but I can upload pictures to it, hence the taking of the picture
I also make sure I reply to each review - we are up to about 80 odd now, and its taking up more and more time! I hate that site!