Is permission required to use copyrighted material of others?
Generally yes, but there is a huge category of exceptions called “fair use” that makes that yes more of a firm “maybe.” For more information, please consult our guide on “fair use” as well as "Who can claim Fair Use?"
Can I use portion of a copyrighted song in my own song or podcast?
Generally no, but it could easily be yes depending on the circumstances. For more information, please consult our guide on “fair use” as well as the "Who can claim Fair Use?"
Is it legal to base your site's template on another website?
Remaking the exact same elements from one site on your own site doesn’t negate infringement. Just because you made them yourself, doesn’t mean that you didn’t take the underlying designs.
If you copy another website’s original design and don’t get permission, you infringed that website owner’s copyright, unless you can prove fair use. For more information, please consult our guide on “fair use” as well as the "Who can claim Fair Use?"
If you are web designer/developer who wants to know how much or little you should rely on fair use for your business, feel free to contact New Media Rights via our contact form to find out whether you qualify for free or reduced fee legal services. We also offer competitive full fee legal services on a selective basis. For more information on the services we provide click here.
