Online habits that raise copyright issues
The internet makes copying effortless, but it does not change who owns a work. Images found through search engines, social media posts, and articles are usually protected by copyright even without a notice or a registration, and posting them on a commercial site can lead to a demand letter. Giving credit, tagging the photographer, or linking back is courteous, but none of it amounts to permission. Embedding content hosted elsewhere is a contested area, and courts have reached different conclusions about whether it counts as displaying the work. Memes, screenshots, and commentary may be fair use in some contexts, but that depends on the specific purpose and effect of the use, not on its format.
Platforms, posts, and user content
Sites and apps that host user uploads can be protected from liability for user infringement under the DMCA safe harbor, provided they meet its conditions, including responding to takedown notices. The Communications Decency Act protection that platforms rely on for other user content does not apply to federal intellectual property claims, so a platform's exposure for user copyright infringement usually turns on the DMCA safe harbor instead. Social media terms usually give the platform a license to your posts, but that license typically does not extend to other users or businesses who want to reuse your content. If your work is being copied, screenshots with URLs and dates preserve the evidence before posts are edited or removed.
Sorting out a specific situation
If you received a demand, we review who owns the work, how you obtained it, and whether the amount sought matches the actual use. If your content is being reused, we look at whether a takedown, a licensing request, or a formal claim suits the situation, and whether your work is registered. Many of these matters resolve quickly once ownership and use are documented. If you are a business posting content, a simple practice of saving the license or permission for every image you publish prevents most of these disputes. Bring links, screenshots, and any messages exchanged so far.
