The PPP for Bloggers, Podcasters, and Other Self-Employed Online Business Owners
The CARES Act created a wonderful opportunity for businesses struggling because of COVID-19. That opportunity is through the PPP or Paycheck Protection Program. This post will talk about the PPP for bloggers, podcasters, and other self-employed individuals doing business online. Note: This is ever-changing! There are several different interpretations of the PPP and I will … Continue reading →
How a Force Majeure Clause Can Help an Online Business
In this COVID-19 world, everyone wants to know if force majeure applies. In this post, you’re going to learn what “force majeure” means, what it does, and when it applies. We’ll also look at some force majeure sample clauses and I’ll give you some examples of business transactions and how they’re affected by force majeure. … Continue reading →
Why You Should Put a Copyright Notice on Your Blog or Website
By the end of this quick video you’re going to know why it’s important to put a copyright notice on your blog or website. You’ll also learn what a copyright notice means, when to use it, and what it prevents. First, what goes in a copyright notice? There are three elements to a proper notice. … Continue reading →
IP Protection for Podcasts
By the end of this post you will understand a little bit more about IP protection for podcasts. I’ll go into some of the different elements of your podcast and whether they are protectable under copyright versus trademark. Here we go! Your Podcast Name. Easy one, right? That is protectable under trademark law. The name … Continue reading →
Is a Blog Post Automatically Protected from Copycats?
By the end of this post you will know at what point your blog post is automatically protected from copycats under copyright law. Let’s go! First, what’s protectable about a blog post or vlog? So first, what does a blog or vlog consists of? Well, it consists of maybe video content, audio-visual content, you’ve got … Continue reading →
Using Sponsored Post Hashtags Properly
#ad #sponsored #gifted #affiliate #unboxing… Yes, these hashtags mean that your post is sponsored. By the end of this post you will have an understanding of how each of these hashtags indicate a sponsored post and what the hashtags really mean. Reminder: What constitutes a Sponsored Post? First, a little reminder on what constitutes a … Continue reading →
Pinterest: Terms of Use You Didn’t Read
This month’s “Terms of Use You Didn’t Read” focuses on Pinterest and the terms of use that you’ve agreed to by using Pinterest. Pinterest Terms of Use: More Simply Put First, the these Terms of Use use a really cool thing that I’ve actually considered doing in some of the contracts that I write. They … Continue reading →
You Think These Aren’t Photo Copyright Infringement (But They Are)
Here’s some activities that you think aren’t photo copyright infringement… but they are. These’ll be in the context of social media, websites, and podcasting. Rapid fire, let’s go! Photo Copyright Infringement 101: posting a photo that you didn’t take. Unless you have agreed with the person that DID take the photo that you could, of … Continue reading →
What a [good] Lawyer Does When You’ve Been Copied
In this post you’ll learn, in my opinion, what a good lawyer does when that dreaded moment hits: you’ve been copied. Spoiler alert: a good lawyer will just walk you through your options. And those options are: contacting the infringer,, DMCA takedown, sending a letter, filing a lawsuit, and doing nothing. Option When You’ve Been … Continue reading →
3 Benefits of Registering A Website with the Copyright Office
Pretty self-explanatory by the title: you’re going to get the top three benefits of registering your website with the Copyright Office. Let’s go! Benefit of Registering A Website with the Copyright Office #1: Presumptions. Now, before your eyes glaze over, let me give you a little explanation of what a presumption is. Think of a … Continue reading →
WordPress: Terms of Use You Didn’t Read
Y’all know I’m a big Terms of Use geek. I’m super excited about this new monthly series, “Terms of Use You Didn’t Read.” I will go in and pick out a handful of terms in platforms that you might be using and point out some of the things that you’ve agreed to by using the … Continue reading →
Inspired Versus Infringing: A Look at “Idea Law”
There’s always that question about the fine line between being inspired by something and infringing. This post gives you a quick reminder on what copyright infringement is and a brief little explanation on what’s protectable under copyright law and what’s not. By the end, you’ll have a good understanding of “idea law” and how that … Continue reading →