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Loc: Sandy Spring, Maryland
From WTOP.com
Where and how to register a copyright
Since your pictures are already in digital form, it’s a pretty straightforward process to submit an application to register an image at Copyright.gov.
Unless you’ve done it before, you’ll have to start by setting up a user account. Once you’re a registered user, you’ll need to log into the system to get started and follow the on-screen prompts.
The only thing that may throw you is that it requires you to pay the registration fee before you actually upload your images. The application fee for photos is $65, but you can register up to 750 images on the same application.
Keep in mind, the information you provide to register the image — such as your address — will become public record.
Violating copyrights is easy
A common misconception when it comes to images is that if they can be found with a Google search, they must be in the public domain.
Using any image without permission from the copyright holder can get you into legal trouble, especially if you’re using it for a business.
The good news is that there are lots of images that make themselves available for reuse through websites such as ccsearch.creativecommons.org.
There’s also an option to only show images that are labeled for reuse in a Google image search by clicking on the Tools menu, then on Usage Rights. Even then, you should visit the website that is offering the image to see if they have specific credit requirements in order for you to use it.
Violating an image copyright can result in financial penalties that can be in the hundreds or thousands of dollars per image, per use, so don’t do it!
Ken Colburn is founder and CEO of Data Doctors Computer Services. Ask any tech question on Facebook or Twitter.
I registered several hundred of my best images a few of years ago. It cost over $250. Now I have another couple hundred new images. I can't keep doing this.
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