Copyright on Google Sites: What You Need to Know Before Publishing

Overview

This page is a complete guide to understanding and following copyright laws when creating and publishing a website using Google Sites. If you are designing, uploading, embedding, or publishing any kind of content, this guide is for you.

Failure to follow these rules may result in your Google Site being taken down, your Google Account being suspended, and in some cases, legal action under local or international copyright laws.

😊 Reminder: Even if your site is personal, school-related, or “just for fun,” copyright law still applies.

1. What Is Copyright?

Copyright is a law that gives creators of original works the exclusive right to:

• Reproduce
  
  

• Distribute
  
  

• Display
  
  

• Perform
  
  

• Create derivative works
  
  

This applies to:

• Text and articles ✍️
  
  

• Photos, graphics, icons 🖼️
  
  

• Logos, names, and branding 🎯
  
  

• Songs, sound effects, and music 🎵
  
  

• Videos and movies 🎬
  
  

• Fonts and typefaces 🔤
  
  

• Website layouts and code 💻
  
  

⚠️ Important: A work is protected from the moment it is created, whether or not there is a copyright symbol or registration.

2. Common Violations on Google Sites

Here are the most frequent copyright mistakes made by Google Sites users:

❌ Copying Written Content

“I just pasted a paragraph from a blog.”
“I used a movie summary from IMDb.”
“I posted song lyrics.”

All of these are copyright violations unless you have permission or the content is public domain.

❌ Using Images from Google Search

“I searched for an image and right-clicked to save it.”
“It didn’t have a watermark, so I thought it was fine.”

Google Search does not mean free-to-use. Many images you find online are owned by photographers, artists, or companies.

❌ Embedding or Uploading Protected Media

“I embedded a YouTube video of a movie someone uploaded.”
“I uploaded an mp3 I downloaded from a website.”

If the content was illegally uploaded by someone else, you are still liable for embedding it — even if it's just a link.

❌ Using Brand Logos or Names

“I used the Google logo on my homepage.”
“I called my site ‘YouTube Helper’ and used the YouTube icon.”

Using logos or names from companies like Google, YouTube, TikTok, Netflix, etc., without permission violates trademark and copyright law.

3. Safe Practices and Copyright-Compliant Design

Here’s how you can build your site legally and safely:

✅ Use Your Own Content

Take your own photos, write your own text, and make your own graphics.
This is the safest, cleanest way to avoid violations.

✅ Use Free and Licensed Media

Look for content that is:

• Creative Commons (CC) licensed
  
  

• Public domain
  
  

• Licensed for reuse (e.g., royalty-free)
  
  

Trusted sites for free-use content:

• Unsplash (photos)
  
  

• Pixabay (photos, vectors, music)
  
  

• Pexels (videos and images)
  
  

• Openverse (mixed content)
  
  

• Free Music Archive (music)
  
  

📌 Note: Always check the license — some require attribution.

✅ Embed Responsibly

Only embed:

• Videos from official sources (e.g., an artist’s YouTube channel)
  
  

• Publicly shared Google Docs/Slides that you created
  
  

• Forms, maps, calendars from your own account or team
  
  

Do not embed content just because the URL works — you are still responsible for what appears on your site.

✅ Cite and Attribute

If you're quoting or reusing small parts of licensed content:

• Include the creator’s name
  
  

• Link back to the original source
  
  

• State the license type (e.g., “Image by John Smith, CC BY 4.0”)
  
  

⚠️ Warning: Quoting an entire article, even with a link, is still not legal.

4. Notices, Disclaimers, and Fair Use

🚫 “Fair Use” ≠ Free-for-All

Fair use only covers very specific situations (like critique, commentary, education, or parody) and often requires legal judgment. Don’t assume fair use applies to your personal website — it usually doesn’t.

🚫 “Educational Use” ≠ Unlimited Use

If you’re creating a Google Site for school, you're not automatically allowed to copy content. Educational use is not a free pass for using copyrighted materials.

🚫 “No One Will See It” Isn’t a Defense

Even if your site is unpublished or only shared with friends, it still exists on Google’s servers. Any violations can trigger automatic takedowns or manual reports.

5. What Happens If You Violate Copyright?

Violations can lead to:

• 🚫 Site takedown or suspension
  
  

• 🚷 Google account warnings or bans
  
  

• 💰 Monetary fines or legal complaints (in severe cases)
  
  

• 📩 DMCA takedown notices from creators or rights holders
  
  

🛑 Important: Google complies with the DMCA (Digital Millennium Copyright Act), and will remove infringing content when notified.

6. Google’s Official Policies

You can review Google's own legal documents here:

• Google Terms of Service
  
  

• Google Sites Content Policy
  
  

• Google DMCA Guidelines
  
  

7. Final Reminders and Checklist

Before publishing your Google Site, make sure:

• ✅ All content is original, licensed, or used with permission
  
  

• ✅ You've credited any content under Creative Commons
  
  

• ✅ You're not using protected logos or brand names
  
  

• ✅ Your embeds come from trusted, legal sources
  
  

• ✅ You understand that “personal use” is not an excuse
  
  

✅ Pro Tip: When in doubt, leave it out — or replace it with original or free content.

Conclusion

Creating a beautiful, functional Google Site is fun and easy — but ignoring copyright can ruin all your hard work. 😬

Take the extra time to review your content, use legal sources, and credit creators. It’s worth it.