Anyone have any knowledge on the use of copyright material in ebooks? I have just read a rather dated, but very well known, ebook about Adsense and it carries a screenshot of one of my sites. I have no objection to free publicity but it would have been nice to have been asked in the same way that I would expect to be asked about links or utislisng an article. Any input apprecieated even if just "opinion" rather than hard fact.
Well I suppose technically they reproduced/rebroadcast your intellectual property without your permission. Personally, I'd be sending a thank you note to the author for the free publicity
Thanks Shauner - I am inclined to agree but was just interested if anyone knew any more about this. I guess in this instance this is a compliment really but was interested in the topic because of the personal involvment. My question is really a general one as to whether or not copyright covers the use in a static graphic (screenshot) whereby they are (probably) not actaully getting any direct benefit from its use. For example what would be the situation be if they used the screenshot and made a derogatory comment.
You know that brings up a good point. Alexa uses screenshots of websites and the Search Engines cache your pages... all without your permission. But as long as its use isn't defamatory I wouldn't have a problem with it. If someone used a screenshot and made a derogatory comment you could probably do something about it... if what they're saying isn't truthful or able to be substantiated. But in the world of the internet it may be difficult to prosecute/take care of.
imo, alexa take screenshoot not for comersial purpose, but comersial ebook, i think that is different issue.. unless that ebook is free for public.
I would contact the author and ask for a link in the book to the site, or a credit someware in the book. I think that as long as the book author gives you an acknowledgement then they can show the screen shot, a bit like when you quote an author or song in a newspaper you get a line something like “quote taken from the Beatles Help album†I would ask for the acknowledgement and you might find yourself a new partner (the author obviously likes your work) or at the very least be able to take advantage of some free viral marketing.
SKE11 - thats excellent advice but leads me onto another question. Can anyone help me track down the original author? Its the "Buidling your Own Adsense Empire" ebook - but its on so many "re-sellers" sites now that I don't know how to locate the originator. Even if I did it would be nigh on impossible to get it changed on all the re-sellers sites as there are hundreds of them and they sell the book as a pdf not from one website. At the moment it just contains a screenshot/graphic of the site and no link. I would love to get a link added but simply cannot work out how to do it. Any suggestions greatly appreciated.
Unfortunately there is realistically nothing you can do. Once it hits p2p you can consider the ebook public property.
I can understand what you are saying. I would thank them for the free publicity too but normally it is just good to see people have the decency to actual ask permission for certain things. I had someone post a thread about one of my websites and it was great publicity but they did ask me first.
when reffering to another product it is alllowed - I give you this example - on tv the commercials show the products and trademarks of other companies all the time ... this is allowed when comparing or reference too... its a common practice in marketing The Crow
As long as it credits your url (free publicity) and is not defamatory, it's not such a big deal. I agree...it would be very difficult to track down author...