Among Friends

[CherryHugs]

@Etoile308 Yes it is true. I asked and it seems to be ok since no money is being made off any of it.

I still try to be careful though.

---

@Etoile308 wrote:

---

@CherryHugs wrote:

Groups that I am on allow it since it is not for profit. Not trying to make money here either lol. Oh well.

---

@CherryHugs, are you certain about that? Not for profit doesn't enter into copyright infringement. 

Every message board I've ever participated in has a caution against posting copyrighted material. It can be an extremely costly burden to a website if action is taken against them. 

Seems to me a laissez-faire attitude has the potential to result in the elimination of the message board. 

---

[Q-Checker]

@Shanus - it just means that anything that has been copyrighted cannot legally be reproduced by anyone who does not hold the copyright - or, if you will, right to copy. I prefer a sincere message from anyone over any cutsey picture reproduced from another source, especially if the source has a copyright. Even if the copied reproduction is somehow not identified as a copyright violation, it is still theft. 

[CherryHugs]

I am working on even in the groups to not send anything copyrighted! Here I will always of course not send anything copyrighted.

[CherryHugs]

Just want to thank everyone for your replies!

[JoyFilled Warrior]

Interesting

[THEY CallMe Mr Wilkes]

In the United States the copyright symbol is not required in order for the owner of the copyright to assert its rights.

(There doesn't need to be a No Trespassing sign to be guilty of trespassing.  The sign is a warning,  as is a copyright symbol.)

The most problematic images for this forum are likely those owned by very large corporations which can vigorously enforce ownership rights with hefty legal departments.   Images and characters owned by Disney/Marvel, DC Comics and Peanuts (repeated violations here by a serial offender) are primary examples,  although there are many others.

[CalminHeart]

Anything someone sells or promotes could be copyrighted...and often is. If it's a famous branding, you know it's copyrighted. To provide a list would be endless. 

[TheWanderingOne]

---

@THEY CallMe Mr Wilkes wrote:

In the United States the copyright symbol is not required in order for the owner of the copyright to assert its rights.

(There doesn't need to be a No Trespassing sign to be guilty of trespassing.  The sign is a warning,  as is a copyright symbol.)

The most problematic images for this forum are likely those owned by very large corporations which can vigorously enforce ownership rights with hefty legal departments.   Images and characters owned by Disney/Marvel, DC Comics and Peanuts (repeated violations here) are primary examples,  although there are many others.

---

Also problematic are the photos and article reposts that appear in the Home and Fashion forums. Photos taken of celebrities on the red carpet, clothing items found at other retailers, home decorating articles & photos, etc...those are all the work of someone else and are copyrighted as well. I've seen a few of those removed, but it's largely ignored. 

[THEY CallMe Mr Wilkes]

Getty Images allows the free use of million of its photos, so long as it has no commercial use and is not downloaded to your device.

Also, I think "The Fair Use Doctrine" would cover a lot of photographic use.  For example, if discussing a news event (like an awards show) a picture could be added to be informative and educational.   Similar to pictures of other news stories being discussed.  Naturally there can be no commercial use.

Section 107 of the Copyright Act states:

....the fair use of a copyrighted work, including such use by reproduction in copies or phonorecords or by any other means specified by that section, for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching (including multiple copies for classroom use), scholarship, or research, is not an infringement of copyright.

Of course it's up to QVC to decide,  but I think those pictures are Fair Use in that context, particularly when discussing the quality and features of a garment or a Red Carpet event which is newsworthy.   Also, the picture can't be altered, like turning it into a funny meme.