Tepp to Speak on NY Times v. OpenAI

On Tuesday, March 12 at Noon EDT, RightsClick co-founder Steve Tepp will join a panel discussing the copyright case NY Times v. OpenAI. The Times alleges copyright infringement by parent company Microsoft and its OpenAI subsidiary, which operates the ChatGPT generative AI platform.  Like many authors and other creators, the Times is suing for theContinue reading “Tepp to Speak on NY Times v. OpenAI”

Do You Have To Put the © On Your Work?

The “c” in a circle: © is is a world-famous symbol, and yet it is no longer required for protecting works under U.S. copyright law. In fact, this has been true for many years, but here are some things about what the legal profession calls “copyright notice” that you should know: For eighty years –Continue reading “Do You Have To Put the © On Your Work?”

Did You Publish Photographs in 2023?

As the year draws to a close, we want to remind photographers in particular about group registration of published photographs. Ideally, your work is best protected when it’s registered with the Copyright Office before it leaves the studio. But deadlines and schedules being what they are, we know that registration often slips through the cracks.Continue reading “Did You Publish Photographs in 2023?”

The “Server Test” – A Shell Game in Copyright Law

Suppose you come across one of your images on a news site, blog, or promotional site– a common occurrence for many creators. You’re certain that you didn’t give permission to use the image, but when you contact the site owner about the use, they tell you it isn’t on their website. But of course, itContinue reading “The “Server Test” – A Shell Game in Copyright Law”

Now Integrated with Capture One

Making copyright management part of your workflow just got easier. RightsClick is designed to help independent creators quickly and easily protect and enforce their copyrights. That begins with registration with the U.S. Copyright Office. With the new RightsClick plugin for the Capture One photo editing software, it is now even easier to make copyright registrationContinue reading “Now Integrated with Capture One”

Artist Aurélie Graillot Calls RightsClick a Game Changer

Aurélie Graillot is a photographer and visual artist who produces stunning images for high-end brands. She wrote us this wonderful note. Visit the Aurélie Graillot Studio website. Dear Steve & David: I can’t thank RightsClick enough for opening my eyes to the importance of registering my creative works with the Copyright Office. Before discovering theirContinue reading “Artist Aurélie Graillot Calls RightsClick a Game Changer”

What If the Copyright Office Rejects a Registration Application?

It doesn’t happen very often, but sometimes the Copyright Office will reject a registration application for a particular work (Title). In most cases, when the registration specialist detects an administrative error, he or she will usually email the applicant directly and try to clear up any confusion. If you submitted a registration through RightsClick, andContinue reading “What If the Copyright Office Rejects a Registration Application?”

The Valancourt Books Decision and Deposit Copies

You may have seen some headlines recently announcing that the “deposit requirement” at the U.S. Copyright Office was held to be unconstitutional by the DC Circuit Court of Appeals. Because this announcement could be misunderstood by creators looking to register their work(s) with the Office, we wanted to clarify the nature of this decision, butContinue reading “The Valancourt Books Decision and Deposit Copies”

Why Retain the Copyright Rights if You’re Not Going to Register?

Many, if not most, creators who work for clients typically retain the copyright rights in their work. Commercial photographers and illustrators, for instance, use standard written agreements affirming that they retain the rights to the images and then lay out the terms by which the client(s) may use the works. Naturally, some clients will insist,Continue reading “Why Retain the Copyright Rights if You’re Not Going to Register?”

DIY Copyright Registration is a Good Idea

Any attorney will tell creative professionals to register their work the U.S. Copyright Office because without timely registration, taking enforcement action against an infringement is either hindered or impossible. Some creators register on their own, and others have attorneys do it for them. But the truth is that it’s better (and cheaper!) to do itContinue reading DIY Copyright Registration is a Good Idea