COPYRIGHT & MEDIA LAW

While all it takes is a simple click to download a photo these days, it’s much more complicated to navigate copyright law. Can we run a photo from the Oscars? Surely, it’s okay to include photos from Twitter or Instagram? There’s nothing wrong with running movie quotes with senior portraits, is there? Well, actually there is. Here are answers to copyright questions yearbooks staffs face.

A video presentation explaining copyright and fair use, with answers to what yearbook staffs can and cannot use.

A video presentation on the yearbook staff's legal responsibilities, including your rights, libel and privacy, copyright materials and trademark materials.

The nonprofit, nonpartisan SPLC provides information, training and legal assistance at no charge to student journalists and the educators who work with them. Founded in 1974, the SPLC is based in Washington, D.C.

With the click of a button, thousands of images are instantly available on the Internet. But is it legal or ethical to use them?

Here are a few simple tips when it comes to copyrighted work.