Creative Commons ~ How to Protect Your Ideas

I addressed the issue of protecting your creative ideas and photos back in September of 2008.  However, with all the new bloggers that have joined our favorite past time, I feel like it’s time to talk about it again.

The hot topic for today is copyright.

Yep, this is an important subject for all bloggers.  As bloggers, we freely share our ideas, photos, and inspiration with each other to embellish our lives.  Whether you’re just blogging for fun or to become an expert in your field – everyone should have Creative Commons license posted on their blog side bar.

Please be aware that there is a difference between being inspired by a blogger and copying another blogger. So to avoid any confusion and to protect yourself, you should know that there are some easy ways to protect your products, photos, and ideas.

First, you can get a creative commons license on your blog. Simply click participate, then licensing page to get your code and paste it onto your blog. I personally e-mail all bloggers who have this on their blog to ask permission if I can use 1 photo of theirs and then link it back to their blog.

Next, you can watermark your pictures. Here are some tutorials I found and I hope they’re helpful.

1. Video tutorial using PhotoShop
2. Windows Paint tutorial
3. Tutorial using Photoshop Elements

What to do if you want to use someone’s photo or idea:

If you find an idea here on Tip Junkie or on another blog that you want to blog about, first look on their sidebar to see if they have a copyright disclaimer. If they do, then e-mail them or leave a comment to ask their permission.  If you don’t already have a relationship with this blogger, please compliment them on their post and tell them specifically why you’d like to use one of their images (don’t take more than 1 – that’s uncool).  If they don’t have a copyright then you’re welcome to blog about it without permission.

However, proper blog etiquette is that you must link back to that person and be sure to give them proper credit in your post.  It’s important that you link back to that specific post – not just their home page.  This way your readers can quickly find the source of your inspiration or tutorial with out a lot of leg work on their part.

Even though I have a copyright on my blog it’s only to protect those who have submitted their ideas, feel free to blog about all these ideas but be sure to link back here or the original submitters post. That will keep you safe from copyright infringement.

I want to thank each one of you for freely sharing your ideas and letting us all be inspired by them. You make my days more beautiful.

Laurie’ Being Way To Candid: {{the following is said lovingly, of course}}

The reason I am blogging about this topic again, is because from time to time I find my blog posts copied and pasted onto onto other blogs.  Not only did they take the entire post – but they didn’t even link back here to Tip Junkie to give proper credit.  In all honesty, it doesn’t make me upset.  When I was a new blogger – I made mistakes all the time!  You learn the ropes as you go since there’s not one place which states all blog etiquette.

To give you a peek at my perspective:  On average, I spend 3 hours on each post for Tip Junkie.  I make sure that every day I turn out quality content and relevant information that I think you will LOVE.  Not like – but love!  I then spend many more hours answering questions via e-mail, helping people on the TJ Community, and conjuring up crazy fun ideas to help my Mom-preneurs.

I know that other bloggers spend the same amount of blood, sweat, and tears over their blogs as well.  It is not OK for you to take others bloggers posts.   It is also not OK for anyone to copy and paste the RSS Feed (links or images) from my Tip Junkie Blog Events and Giveaway Directory.  I spent 3 months  and hundreds of dollars designing it to help other bloggers quickly find free products that are being given away from Mom-preneurs as well as to help bloggers launch their sites using my traffic.

I promise that all of the long hours and dedication to Tip Junkie is for your benefit.  I adore my readers and feel honored that you spend a couple minutes visiting each day.  There are so many fabulous bloggers and I know you have a lot of amazing choices on how to spend your precious time.  Tip Junkie is designed to make your visit here quick, feature fabulous women, and bring a little “glitter” to your day.

I want to make you smile the best way I know how – with creative projects.  Y’all ROCK!

xoxo
Laurie