Determining whether you need permission to use a person's name or picture depends on whether it's used to help sell a product or service. You cannot use a person's name, picture, or voice for commercial benefit without obtaining their permission. Sometimes distinction between use as news and use for commercial purposes and is blurred. For example, a web site might feature news stories and advertising.

Never position a person's name or picture on a web page in a way that implies that they endorse a product or service without their permission. Never position a person's name or picture on a web page in proximity to a news story with a negative connotation. For example, if you position a person's picture just above a story about homosexuality, you might be sued for character defamation.

=> Use of Trademarks

You can use a trademark to advertise that you sell or service products of a particular brand. Don't use a trademark to falsely misrepresent yourself as an authorized agent of that brand's company. You can also use a competitor's trademark in comparative advertising. If you do, make sure your claims are absolutely honest and can be substantiated.

Sometimes a trademark inadvertently shows up in a photograph. For example, an advertisement or a container's label may show up in a photograph. There is rarely a problem using a photograph for noncommercial use that shows a trademark. Never use a photograph showing a trademark in such a way as to imply that trademark's owner endorses a product or service.

To be absolutely safe, you should get trademark owner's permission. Many trademark owners will be happy to give you permission without charge. In fact, many companies pay fees to promote their trademark.

=> Copyright Infringement

Other than for fair use purposes, don't expect to get away with using copyrighted material from Web without owner's permission. Some companies use Web crawlers to search for unauthorized use of their copyrighted material.

Make sure person who gives you permission to use copyrighted material actually owns copyright to material, or real owner could sue you for infringement. Usually, if person who gave you permission misrepresented their ownership, you cannot be sued because you would be an "innocent infringer".

In this article you have learned that there are many purposes for which you can legally use copyrighted material from web. If you follow copyright law's rules for fair use it is not a copyright infringement.

Disclaimer: This information is provided with understanding that author is not a lawyer. If legal advice is required, services of a competent professional should be sought. By using this material, user assumes complete responsibility for any and all damages resulting from that use.

---------------------------------------------------------- To learn how to maintain your computer and use it more effectively to design a Web site and make money on Web visit http://bucarotechelp.com To subscribe to Bucaro TecHelp Newsletter Send a blank email to mailto:bucarotechelp-subscribe@topica.com ----------------------------------------------------------

What are all those computer generated special effects in car commercials? Show people being envious of someone else's new car. That'll sell cars. What is all that creativity in fast food commercials? Simply shove a burger in viewers face and then show someone enjoying eating a burger. That's how to sell fast food.

You can judge TV commercials on following criteria.

1. Did you understand commercial? 2. After viewing commercial, did you know what product was? 3. Did commercial provide enough information about product? 4. Did commercial create a desire for product?

You can use similar criteria to criticize TV shows. What's with those Star Trek shows? I don't understand those convoluted temporal loops, or alien intelligence taking over brains of crew. That's way too complicated. Just show me man against alien or man's technology against nature.

You can use photos and sound bites from TV in your articles. It's not copyright infringement if you use them for news, critical, or educational purposes. That's called "fair use".

How do you make money from a TV critic site? If you have traffic, you can generate revenue from any kind of general advertising. If your site experiences strong demand from advertising and network executives, you might make it a subscription based site.

One way you might NOT want to make money is when one of those advertising or network executives offers to pay you for your opinion or to use your opinion in their advertising. This would undoubtedly bias your opinion, causing your Web site to lose credibility. Resist that money!

Can you image earning a living by laying on your sofa all day recording your unqualified opinion of what you see on TV? The Couch Potato Critic - good idea, or crazy idea? You be judge. ---------------------------------------------------------- Resource Box: Copyright(C)2003 Bucaro TecHelp. To learn how to maintain your computer and use it more effectively to design a Web site and make money on Web visit http://bucarotechelp.com To subscribe to Bucaro TecHelp Newsletter Send a blank email to mailto:bucarotechelp-subscribe@topica.com ----------------------------------------------------------