I am trying to get my website up and running, but I have been trying to figure out a few things. Legal business things are over my head, and I'm trying to get it all simplifyed. Does copyrighting my website also copyright the art and pictures I am selling on it? How does that work? If I wanted to trademark the name, what is involved with that as well? I have looked at the copyright office site and it is still confusing to me. Any help would be much appreciated! Sorry, I didn't know if this would be the best section for this?
1. Any content you write yourself, or any artwork you create yourself is automatically copyrighted by you the moment it is created. 2. You get common law trademark rights to any name just by using it in commerce (in business). There are a couple of things to note. First, the same mark can be used by more than one party. They can be using the same term in different types of businesses (Ray's Pizza versus Ray's Guitar Store) and people can use the same name in different geographic areas. So there can be a Ray's Pizza in NY and a different Ray's Pizza in Taos, NM. The key is being first to use it in your area. You can do your own search or pay to have a professional see if someone is already using your name. I would only do this if you planned on registering you name, which gives you more rights, but can be done later one you are more sure of its long term value. 3. If you are selling art and pictures that are yours, then you need to be clear what you are selling, (a print, a photo, a negative, etc.). If it is someone else's work you are selling then you need to be clear what it is you are selling and who owns the copyright to that work.