Copyrighting on the Internet

Main definition
Basically, after translating all the fancy terminology, copyrighting can extend to anything as long as you have proof of its existence. If you made a guild layout, the minute you save it onto your computer, it has been copyrighted to you, provided that you made it originally without copying someone else's idea. If you wrote a tutorial, the second it becomes displayed on a web page, then it has been copyrighted to you.

When is copyright effective?
Copyright will remain in place unless the owner has abandoned the copyright or the copyright has expried. Both situations are very unlikely to occur, so using this as a reason if you have been caught stealing will not be accepted.

Material provided by other people as "free artwork" does not mean that their copyright has been waived. This simply mean that you are allowed to use or redistribute it giving credit to the original artist. "Free" does not mean public domain, so you must link back unless it specifically says "I don't care what you do with this because I give up my copyright to this". Sounds pretty impossible, right?

Most people believe that copyright only extends to things they can see, yet more poeple believe that HTML or coding can not be copyrighted. WRONG! Of course HTML or coding can be copyrighted, you must have seen it to have copied it, right? As long as the coding has been fashioned to something visible [and original], it has been copyrighted! Midis, graphic images (including web graphics, photos, logos and other digital art), writings, text, HTML, javascripts can all be copyrighted. This is why people are required to link back when using other people's web layouts, music or javascript codes.

If you are even the slightest bit unsure that the material is not copyrighted, then don't use it. Under international law, the rightful owner of the copied material is able to make a formal complaint against you and take legal action against you. That mean... *dum Dum DUM* a law-suit. Think of it this way, if you're looking at it, you can't steal it. The only material that is never copyrighted is the government's. Why would they copyright it if they have the power of censorship to the public?

How to copyright your material
Copyrighting does not necessarily have to be done in a patent office, anything original can be copyrighted to you as long as you state so. To copyright your own material, all you have to do is slap on a "copyrighted to my-name". Adding on a date, say © 2015 Neo-Reality just shows the date of creation, and more dates afterwards, eg. © 2015-2020 Neo-Reality, shows the that you have edited the material during those years.

People think that it's illegal to place a copyright symbol next to your name or your website/organisation's name if your copyright has not been registered. That's not true, everyone has a right to copyright their original material, whether they register or not.

When doesn't my copyright count?
When the material you copyrighted is not yours. If you have taken a website layout, per say, and edited the coding to suit your own designs and ended up with what you think is a "new" website layout, then put on your own copyright, you are actually stealing. You may only take someone's coding if they have permission to do so (may not have to be a personal consent, just have to be visible to the public in some form), and even if you edit the layout, you still have to credit for the original coding of the layout - no matter how much you've edited it. The story would be different if you started from scrath, because then you would be entitled to copyrighting it, provided you did not copy anybody else's design coding in the process.

Copyright to you will not count if you have someone else's web page stuck in your frames [deliberately]. It is their web page, so either credit them for it (provided you had their permission to do so in the first place) or remove it. Having a layout that says it's copyrighted to you only to have other people's pages in your framed pages is an example of copyright infringement and is illegal.

You can not copyright an idea in your head! It has to be in a form where you can see, smell, hear or touch it. I have seen a site where the owner raved on about something that resembled Secret Santa and he said "this idea has been copyrighted so I better not see it stolen!" First of all, Secret Santa is not his idea to start with, it is open for public use anytime without crediting. Second, you can't copyright an idea [that has not been properly patented] so anyone who reads his post is capable of taking his idea and putting it in practice without crediting. Then the part where he goes on about stealing is incorrect because no one would be stealing. The only way to copyright an idea is to officially register with a patent office, which would take time and money.

Last few notes
Different countries have different laws on copyrighting, therefore different punishments. But when it comes to the basic idea, copyright infringement will have serious consequences in every country in the world as copyrighting is an international law.

If you are unsure about the copyright status, do not use it. Make your own or find something else to use. The worst thing to do is to use it, get caught and suffer horrible consequences.

I hope this guide has helped shed some light on what copyrighting can extend to, and if you have further queries, please contact me through email.

~Jen