Doodly Beginner Tutorial

Copyright or Trademark Infringement

Beginner Tutorial #31

Copyright Infringement

Cartoon image of a judge and gavel for copyright infringement cases.

This document explains about crossing the line from fair use to copyright infringement and talks about trademark issues. You should always talk to an attorney first to see if you are infringing upon someone else’s copyrights and/or trademarks.

Note:In most TIPS, I provide you with my knowledge, expertise and opinions. Given the sensitive question and details on the information in this one, the phrases were taken directly from the government websites, Wikipedia or YouTube as it pertains to each question. Hyperlinks to each website are below each question.

What is Copyright?

According to the U.S. Copyright Office, “Copyright is a type of intellectual property that protects original works of authorship as soon as an author fixes the work in a tangible form of expression.”
Read more details here: USA Copyright Information

What is a trademark?

According to the USPTO.gov website or United States Patent and Trademark Office, “A trademark can be any word, phrase, symbol, design, or a combination of these things that identifies your goods or services.”
Read more details here: USA Trademark Information

What is the Fair Use Doctrine?

In the United States, and in accordance with copyright.gov, “Fair use is a legal doctrine that promotes freedom of expression by permitting the unlicensed use of copyright-protected works in certain circumstances.” Read more details here: USA Fair Use Doctrine

What is a copyright or trademark troll?

According to Wikipedia, a copyright troll is a party (person or company) that enforces copyrights it owns for purposes of making money through litigation, in a manner considered unduly aggressive or opportunistic, generally without producing or licensing the works it owns for paid distribution. Read more details here: What is a Copyright Troll

What is content ID?

This is YouTube’s algorithm to help contain copyrighted material.
Read more details here: YouTube What is Content ID

About the author

Tutorial author Wayne Leiser smiling and looking away from the camera

Wayne Leiser has created free and accessible photo editing tutorials. Drawing on over 25 years of design and IT experience, his lessons begin with the universal basics, progressing through beginner, intermediate, and advanced skill levels using Photopea, a free online Photoshop clone. His goal is to provide users with practical skills for financial independence, with a focus on making money online through the SoloBoss profit sharing video platform.