Question: How can I protect myself from others that might copy and use my website?
After paying good money to have a top web designer develop your great new website … be careful …… you may be teasing and enticing your competitors to illegally use your intellectual property. Stolen website layout, text and images “borrowed” from other sites, illegally, can be found all over the internet. Many of these intellectual thieves do not care that this action violates copyright law. The best solution for your protection is to Register your website’s copyright. Protect your brand.
REGISTER YOUR WEBSITE LAYOUT AND CONTENT & TRADEMARK YOUR COMPANY LOGO
Copyright your website layout, mechanicals, images, graphics, etc. There are many companies on line that offer this copyright service.
We recommend LegalZoom.com and/or Gocopyright.com
While the copyright is born when the artist or designer creates the work, (the website layout, concept and design) registration is required to take legal action in court for infringement. It is therefore suggested that each site owner should register their website which protects the graphics, images, logo, layout and all content displayed on the site.
It is also a good idea if you have not trademarked or registered your professional logo that you do so immediately to protect your intellectual property. This will stop others from copying your logo name and using it. Trademark your logo and add the icon “TM” right next to your logo to alert others that your branding is protected. These intellectual theives will be afraid of legal action if you have planned ahead and completed this action.
At InsideDesignOrlando we feel a special responsibility to offer information to protect our clients from this theft. We hope that information posted here will help all of you to see the importance of planning ahead.
Best Regards,
Jean Holland-Rose, Chief Creative Officer
InsideDesignOrlando * An Orlando Website Design Company since 2001
