Social Media Shenanigans:Pretty Pictures & Plagiarised Posts

I’m that annoying friend who will see a photo you have posted or shared and immediately say, “I want this photo, I’m stealing it!” Not really the conventional way to ask permission but at least if my friends see it on any of my social media timelines, they know I have mentioned my intention to use it. I’m sure many of you have found yourself in a similar position at some stage or another. Wanting to use an image or recording or some other content that has not been produced by you, but it’s compelling or beautiful enough that you can’t resist posting it. Here are a few things to consider before you actually do.

To start with, ask yourself who owns that content, are you allowed to use it and what are the rules around using it.

Any content that you produce, in the form of writing or an image or a recording is 100% legally yours. There might be exceptions for content you curate whilst in the employ of someone or using something that has already been created and has copyright protection in place at the time that you use it. In any instance where you are not sure about the use of the content, make sure you find out first or you could face legal consequences for such use.

Ensure that you obtain proper written permission from the person/creator concerned. Keep a record of the permission obtained if it is informal and not a written agreement.

You can make fair use of content in certain circumstances but do stop to ask yourself if your use of that content would cause the creator any loss of income or lessen the value of the content. An example would be if you took a quote from this blog to share what you have learned, there’s really nothing I can do to stop you. In fact, I wouldn’t even try because I would be so tickled that someone actually thought so much of my post to actually share it. If you, however, just copy the entire piece and share it without any credit to who wrote it, then you may find yourself in a bit of hot water.

The most commonly used (without permission) content is images. It’s simple to grasp. If you don’t own it or don’t have permission or a license to use it, YOU CAN’T. The temptation is great to mistakenly think you won't be found out. Just remember that with Google Image Search, there is every likelihood that if someone is serious about their images, they can track you down. Take note that there are different types of licensing out there, so make sure you know what the specifications are on your licensed content before you use it.

Your original images posted on social media platforms usually mean that you still maintain ownership of your copyright in that post. You may not mind someone using your content without obtaining permission but do remember some people make a living from the content they create and will be highly protective over such content. Be considerate. Be mindful of the laws. Respect the time and effort it takes to produce original content. If you cannot obtain proper permission, my advice would be to walk away and save yourself a whole load of hassle!

My final thoughts on this would be:

Do use your common sense

Do keep up to date with copyright laws to safeguard yourself

Do remember that people can take legal action against you for unauthorized use of their original content