copying a blog

kev1n3

Hi.
Does anyone have any knowledge of the legal or copyright issues when a person copies someone else’s blog into a unrelated forum that they are admin of and doesn’t mention it is someone else’s thoughts or without linking back?


Thank in advance.

Kev

superscaper

kev1n3 wrote: »

Hi.
Does anyone have any knowledge of the legal or copyright issues when a person copies someone else’s blog into a unrelated forum that they are admin of and doesn’t mention it is someone else’s thoughts or without linking back?


Thank in advance.

Kev

At a basic level it is simple copyright theft under UK law and I'm sure most countries' laws as well. Could get messy if they're based in a different country to do anything about it. But assuming it's all in the UK, then they are breaking the law if they don't have the copyright holder's permission (the blogger), even if they DID put a link in and credit.

kev1n3

superscaper wrote: »

At a basic level it is simple copyright theft under UK law and I'm sure most countries' laws as well. Could get messy if they're based in a different country to do anything about it. But assuming it's all in the UK, then they are breaking the law if they don't have the copyright holder's permission (the blogger), even if they DID put a link in and credit.

Music to me ears.. can i quote you? a link to reference in law would be good..

superscaper

It's the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. I'm no legal expert but I did get to learn quite a bit from a Patent Officer at a postgraduate lecture. In general everything you create is copyrighted as soon as you create it and you must give permission for others to use that creation. There are exemptions in the law, but nothing relevant here. Many people think that there are specific laws for everything to make things "legal" but it's the other way around where there's a general law to cover everything and then specific exemptions put in. That's why it's still technically illegal to rip cds, until they put an exemption in the law (which is likely but off topic for this thread).

kev1n3

superscaper wrote: »

It's the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. I'm no legal expert but I did get to learn quite a bit from a Patent Officer at a postgraduate lecture. In general everything you create is copyrighted as soon as you create it and you must give permission for others to use that creation. There are exemptions in the law, but nothing relevant here. Many people think that there are specific laws for everything to make things "legal" but it's the other way around where there's a general law to cover everything and then specific exemptions put in. That's why it's still technically illegal to rip cds, until they put an exemption in the law (which is likely but off topic for this thread).

I love this place.. where else can one tap into such a huge knowledge base for free?

Thank you so much.. u have just made my day.

Reagrds

Kev.