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Can I use content from press material?

Discussion in 'Copywriting' started by hungvn9, Mar 2, 2014.

  1. #1
    Big companies always provide Press Materials/ Press Rooms on their websites. But they do not clear the license for those materials. Can I use their Press materials on my blog that I am running adsense ads on? Also, I don't want to face with any copyright trouble.
    Thanks,
     
    hungvn9, Mar 2, 2014 IP
  2. TDI-MAD

    TDI-MAD Active Member

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    #2
    Here's the thing about press releases. The idea is to spread the news as far as possible. Thus, if you use the event on your blog, they would be actually grateful to you. However, make sure you re-phrase the write-up as an exact copy would be harmful from the SEO point of view if not from the point of view of copyright. The search engines do not tolerate duplicate content and opine that if an exact copy is desired, a link is to be placed (for which the companies will be grateful too!). So, use the event at your liberty, but in your own words.
     
    TDI-MAD, Mar 3, 2014 IP
  3. hungvn9

    hungvn9 Member

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    #3
    Thanks, I usually want to re-use their images and write my own words. I hope that is fine.
     
    hungvn9, Mar 4, 2014 IP
  4. YMC

    YMC Well-Known Member

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    #4
    Uhm, rewriting their words and re-using their images is tricky and could be considered copyright infringement.

    If you're doing that, you had better add some value and be sure that you stay within fair use guidelines. And, you had better darn well give credit for the photo. Even with a photo credit, you might run into trouble. It the photo is from Getty, I wouldn't touch it with a 10 foot pole.

    Press releases are meant to be distributed as is. Companies can spend thousands of dollars on those exact words and they likely won't appreciate you turning them into fodder for Google and a tool for earning Adsense clicks.

    Better would be to do something like...

    "I am so excited. Company X announced today that their newest whatever will be ready for shipping on March 15. I expect everyone who uses their last whatever will be glad to learn about all of the new features it has...wishy wacky is their latest screen technology. That means no more...."

    Make it personal. Explain terms they don't. Add value. Or publish it as is. Those are really your only options to avoid problems.
     
    YMC, Mar 5, 2014 IP
  5. sdtk

    sdtk Greenhorn

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    #5
    Please help me... I've copied few article of big website development firm and pasted it into my site to see my site demo view. But the development company placed a copyright case against me. I've told them to forgive. But they (copyright-archive.com) do not want to forgive me.

    Please tell me if I fully close my website; will it help me ?
     
    sdtk, Mar 5, 2014 IP
  6. uand.eye

    uand.eye Active Member

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    #6
    If you used someone else's material then you run the risk of a copyright case. If you want to test a demo site then use lorem ipsum. This company issues threatening letters demanding money. They may not pursue a claim in court. While not necessary most courts would expect people to send a cease and desist letter first. Secondly any compensation would be at a level to match any damages or losses caused by copying the content. Did you make any money from it? Did you affect the reputation or the website of the company you copied the information from?

    If as you say the content was only to test a demo site, then I would ignore any letters you receive. You do not have to pay this company anything unless they pursue through a court. In most cases they would not want to do that. Delete any content and learn from your mistake.
     
    uand.eye, Mar 5, 2014 IP
  7. sdtk

    sdtk Greenhorn

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    #7


    Thanks for replay uand.eye. But they demanding money and they want to push the case to court. Will it help me if I close/delete my site.
     
    Last edited: Mar 5, 2014
    sdtk, Mar 5, 2014 IP
  8. YMC

    YMC Well-Known Member

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    #8
    Get that content down immediately. Of course they are going to keep pursuing things if you don't do that.

    It doesn't matter if it is a test site or a production site. It's online and can obviously be found. There's so much public domain text or forum ipsum generators that there's plenty of stuff to use for testing. Stop cutting and pasting and start writing your own stuff.
     
    YMC, Mar 5, 2014 IP
  9. sdtk

    sdtk Greenhorn

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    #9
    I will never do it again ... Please tell me what to do now...
     
    sdtk, Mar 6, 2014 IP
  10. YMC

    YMC Well-Known Member

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    #10
    Delete all of their content immediately. And keep your fingers crossed they have mercy on someone who didn't know/understand copyright law. While most folks don't go to the expense of a lawsuit, they do have grounds to sue you.
     
    YMC, Mar 6, 2014 IP
  11. Foxxy

    Foxxy Active Member

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    #11
    Don't apologize or even speak to them at all. Things you say can be taken as an admission of guilt. Take the material off your website and issue no further statements to them. Try to take it serious without being too worried -- lots of people threaten to sue, but few actually do, especially if you are a small website in another country. If their materials goes away that will probably keep them happy.
     
    Foxxy, Mar 6, 2014 IP
  12. sdtk

    sdtk Greenhorn

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    #12
    Thanks ymc and foxxy. You all are nice people. Can I send you the the mail I have got from them. And can you tell me about copyright-archive dot com. they are sending me those mail.
     
    sdtk, Mar 8, 2014 IP