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The Lone Prairie Blog

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Tips On Avoiding Copyright Trolls And Legal Drama

plushie toy monster
Image © Julie R. Neidlinger. All rights reserved.

To find out what a copyright troll is, read about my own copyright troll experience first.

I am not a lawyer, and am not providing you with legal advice. But I’m going to give you a short and sweet crash course on some best practices to avoid copyright issues on your own website and blog.


Here, then, is a crash course on avoiding copyright trolls. I’ll add to it as I come up with other tips.


#1: Use Your Own Images


I’m now in the habit of taking a lot of photos of objects, scenes, and scenarios that I think might be useful stock photos for my use someday. I save them to Google Photos so I can do a quick search for what I’m looking for to bring them up.


This takes some getting used to and people will think you’re a bit nuts when you’re taking photos of fire hydrants and dead bugs and close-ups of leaves, but just think in terms of building a library of photos that are interesting to look at but bland in subject matter that could be used for just about anything depending on the headline associated with it.


Great places to find unusual photos? Museums. Lots of strange objects there.


With phone filters and all the tools in the apps we have, just about anyone can come up with some kind of interesting image.


However, a word of caution: keep people out of the photos, particularly those with identifiable faces. If it’s a large crowd and in a public place, you may be okay. However, you need to obtain photographic releases for individuals, and we’re trying to build a straightforward, legally compliant collection of stock photos. So just leave people out.

 

Take pictures of interesting shoes, shadows, or other props to indicate that people are present, but ensure they cannot be recognized by face or features like tattoos. And do NOT include children, ever.


#2: Get Things In Writing


If you want to use someone's image, email them to obtain their written permission, and then save the email. Be sure to mark the image as being used with permission so anyone who might accuse you otherwise can see you did the work.


I would also print out or screenshot any fine print from a stock photo site on the day you use a photo you think you’ve paid for and are using correctly, so that you have that as proof should questions arise down the road.


#3: Payment Doesn’t Equal Permission


Just because you are paying a subscription or one-time fee for a design service (like Canva, for example), a website design platform with provided images, or a stock photo service doesn’t mean you can use those images forever and in any way you’d like.


It may be that you can only use them:


  • One time

  • In limited non-commercial situations

  • As long as you pay a subscription


The fine print is real on this one, so if it’s not clear and you can’t determine it, either ask the company or avoid using it.


Also, if you’ve hired a company to design your website, be aware that some are sloppy and may use images that they don’t have permission to (particularly images that came with a template that were intended to be replaced). You’re going to get nailed with the copyright infringement, not them, so ask to see the written permission and to keep a copy of it for every image they use.


#4: Pay An Artist


Years ago I spent a few years fielding requests to draw and paint custom headers for people’s blogs. I didn’t charge a lot at the time. Consider finding an artist, or go to someplace like Fivvr, and get some custom graphics done.


Here’s the thing, though.


I no longer sell the copyright with my art, though I might sell the art. It must be licensed if the purchaser wishes to use it beyond the scope of the permission granted. So be sure to get that clarification in writing: do you own the copyright and can do whatever you want, do you have permission to freely use it as long as you note who the copyright owner is, or do you have to pay licensing fees?


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DISCLAIMERS:

This website may use affiliate links. That means that I receive a commission if you visit a link and buy something through my recommendation. (FAQ > General Questions). ​I am not a licensed medical professional, or a financial or legal expert. The information provided is for general purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. Always consult with a qualified specialist for specific medical, financial, or legal concerns. 

© 1998 - 2025 by Julie R. Neidlinger, Lone Prairie Creative LLC, DBA Lone Prairie Art Works. Powered and secured by Wix

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