Not everything that’s possible is allowed! Copyright: Seemingly infinite possibilities on the internet clash with very real legal restrictions – klicksafe produces a brochure about copyright and the rights of individuals

With the Web 2.0 hype still running strong and the multiplication of possibilities for users to actively participate in the creation of content, copyright and its infringement has evolved into a topic even more serious than it was when it was ‘just’ concerning illegal filesharing activities. Everyone publishing content online should be aware that it can be seen and used all over the world. It is therefore easy to find and prosecute copyright infringers.

It has become so easy to use online services that a lot of internet users post or upload copyrighted material without even being conscious of its illegality. But ignorance is no defence in the eyes of the law: recently, German owners of private websites, blogs and discussion forums have become the targets of national lawyers. The consequences can be severe in terms of expensive dissuasion proceedings that can quickly amount to several thousand Euros.

To address this issue, klicksafe has published a brochure entitled “Not everything that’s possible is allowed! Copyright and individual rights on the internet” in collaboration with iRights.info, a German web portal specialised in copyright issues on the internet. Aside from naming the dangers of Web 2.0 services in terms of possible copyright infringements and general tips on legal content creation, the brochure also gives advice on handling judicial proceedings. It also points to resources for alternative content that can be used to avoid those costly complications, e.g. by using open content that is published under the increasingly popular creative commons licensing system.

Accompanying the release of the brochure, klicksafe has revised its information in the copyright section on the nodes’ website. It also provides a legally downloadable pdf version of the brochure on the klicksafe website.

• Direct link to brochure download
• klicksafe Website: www.klicksafe.de

Keywords: klicksafe, copyrights, information, brochure