Libel and Copyright: What They Are and Why They Matter (Especially for Creators and Internet Users)

  To prevent legal headaches, follow these easy steps: While Discussing Others: Remain true to proven truths. Refrain from making unsupported assumptions or allegations. Cite sources and include disclaimers. When Utilizing Other People's Creations: Use resources that are Creative Commons or royalty-free. Instead of copying the original work, provide a link to it. If you are unsure, ask for permission.

  Make use of materials that have been marked for reuse (Creative Commons licenses). Make your own art whenever you can. Obtain express consent or licensing before using someone else's work.

  You find a beautiful illustration on Pinterest and use it as the header image for your blog. Even if you credit the artist, if you don’t have their permission, you’re likely infringing on their copyright. Do you recall the time photographer Carol Highsmith sent hundreds of images to the Library of Congress for public use, only to discover that Getty Images was going to sell them and issue takedown requests? Alleging copyright infringement, she filed a lawsuit against Getty in 2016 for more than $1 billion. How copyright is handled online was greatly highlighted by the case.

  The legal protection of original works of authorship, such as books, songs, movies, pictures, artwork, and software, from unauthorized use is known as copyright.

  Verify your information before publishing anything critical or accusatory. Use qualifiers ("allegedly," "reportedly"), cite your sources, and refrain from presenting assumptions as fact.

  According to Emily D. Baker in 2021, YouTuber Tati Westbrook sued fellow beauty influencer Katie Joy Paulson for allegedly making defamatory statements in YouTube videos and tweets. The lawsuit was centered around claims of drug abuse and fraud — all serious reputational hits if untrue.