Copyrighting sites...

[Recursion]

Hi all :)

If i want to copyright my site must i pay for it?

I see alot of people just stick a copyright on, if i whent onto a habbo fansite and saw a copyright but knew they wern't registered they couldn't do anything about stopping a person ripping there content?

Because i want to copyright my site but i don't think you can just stick a copyright on, if you took someone to court they wouldn't have any proof who was 1st unless they were registered..

Please help :)

Thanks
Tom

[the wombats]

http://www.benedict.com/Digital/Web/WebProtect.aspx
http://www.benedict.com/Digital/Web/WebDesign.aspx

look on them 2. :)

[:Edzy]

i think that the copyright thing does apply anywhere if there is a (c) thing

but if you register you can use (R) or ™

not an expert though

-Ed

[Recursion]

I take it is the same for the UK too?

[the wombats]

I take it is the same for the UK too?
That is for the UK i think.

[Recursion]

No, it has US blah blah ...

[the wombats]

No, it has US blah blah ...

ok i think it is for UK aswell coz my webdesign teacher told us that site.

[Luckyrare]

Yes its protected in the UK, free... If you want to have a word(s) copyrighted it costs £200 for the UK, then you have to do that in every other country

[Splinter]

The (c) and TM is just a legal thing. They dont need to be displayed but usually are to stop ripping but if you do rip other peoples content action can be taken. Now with webdesign on a basic level this will just mean you contacting the webhost and telling them the situation and they will close down the site!

But you dont need to pay for copyright its automatic. You pay for a patent etc but on the web its basically if you make it then its yours.

[YouFail]

Yes its protected in the UK, free... If you want to have a word(s) copyrighted it costs £200 for the UK, then you have to do that in every other country

Thats having either a trademark of limiting a company.

Copyrighting is free :)

[Recursion]

blah

[Mentor]

Depends on where you live. If your in the US you need to pay a fee and get fediral approval of a copyright claim.

In the UK, its allready copyrighted to you, as is any creative works you produce, now, in the past or in the future. As soon as you create somthing you instantly gain copyright of it.

[Recursion]

:o Nice, good thing i live in the UK :) Thanks guys but entor's was the most understood xD

[craigg.]

What Carl has said is correct, and I would take that option, but if it was a large company which wanted copyright, personally I would go through the Trade Marks Bureau, which costs £70 per annum.

The option for small websites: http://www.copyrightservice.co.uk/copyright/p01_uk_copyright_law

Copyright is an automatic right and arises whenever an individual or company creates a work. To qualify, a work should be regarded as original, and exhibits a degree of labour, skill or judgement

Interpretation is related to the independent creation rather than the idea behind the creation. For example, your idea for a book would not itself be protected, but the actual content of a book you write would be. In other words, someone else is still entitled to write their own book around the same idea, provided they do not directly copy or adapt yours to do so.

Names, titles, short phrases and colours are not generally considered unique or substantial enough to be covered, but a creation, such as a logo, that combines these elements may be.

In short, work that expresses an idea may be protected, but not the idea behind it.

The option I would take for a large company: http://www.trademarksbureau.co.uk/copyright.html

We can, for a fee of £70 plus VAT per year, record the material subject to the copyright claim and issue a certificate confirming the date in which the copyright material was initially lodged with us. The registration fee also includes our legal fees should we be required to enter into correspondence with a third party infringing the material subject to the copyright claim.

If your website is just a personal website, I wouldn't bother paying £70 per annum, I would stick with the free copyright. The 'free' option isn't the cheap way out of it, every member in the UK is covered as soon as they make their product, but with the Trade Marks Bureau, you are garuntee'd you are covered as they will do extensive research, unlike the 'free' option.

I hoped this helped, kind regards,
Craig Embleton.

[Recursion]

Thanks Craigg. :)

[Mentor]

What Carl has said is correct, and I would take that option, but if it was a large company which wanted copyright, personally I would go through the Trade Marks Bureau, which costs £70 per annum.

The option for small websites: http://www.copyrightservice.co.uk/copyright/p01_uk_copyright_law


The option I would take for a large company: http://www.trademarksbureau.co.uk/copyright.html


If your website is just a personal website, I wouldn't bother paying £70 per annum, I would stick with the free copyright. The 'free' option isn't the cheap way out of it, every member in the UK is covered as soon as they make their product, but with the Trade Marks Bureau, you are garuntee'd you are covered as they will do extensive research, unlike the 'free' option.

I hoped this helped, kind regards,
Craig Embleton.

You can actualy do what the Trade Marks Burea are promises for a fraction of the price, put all your files relating to the site on to a disk, then seal it in an envelope and mail it to yourselves via registered post.
Just dont open it. If there ever a copyright case made against you, the unopened package can be given as evidence in court proving you manufatured the content via the data and information contained. (im not sure if thats entirely clear, but its a workable method if you feel theres that much risk)
With my own site, the bulk of the system resides in a highly developed backend, which isnt accessible of rippable to start with, meaning theres no risk of it being challenged. The front end appearance i dont really care to much about, as its never been anything especaly good to start with :p

[jarhead!]

A lot of people have copyed us, and I deffo know who they are, I don't mind it but it does take the **** alot..