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How to avoid copyright infringement while creating presentations?

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There are few types of copyright objects in presentation which could bring you headache with this “damned copyrights”

Let's list them

  • Images
  • Music
  • Videos or movies
  • Quotes or Written Works

Images
There are thousands and thousands of images on services such as Flicr, fotolia, iStock, corbis, etc. Most of them you can buy or use under a Creative Commons license. To avoid or minimize infringement risks just put URL of place, where you find it first time and copyrighted  info at the bottom of the picture or like an active link  immediately under the picture.

There is another way to avoid this hassle,  use authorSTREAM Desktop for searching and inserting images from Flickr or Bing. AuthorSTREAM Desktop is a free PowerPoint plugin which lets you search images from Flickr and Bing from within the PowerPoint and even takes care of insertion of attribution.

Music
If, for your purposes, you need some music works that could be copyrighted and you want to be sure that nobody couldn’t  blame you as pirate  contact with ASCAP (American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers) 

For free music feel free to ask open-source music sites like Internet ArchiveApple’s iTunes or We7 also could bring you free music joy. Don’t afraid to ask, you could be really surprised.

Videos or movies
In this case you have to contact studios directly. They might just let you use their work or not, It depends on how you negotiate or not.  Youtube and Vimeo has a great collection in suitable quality. Prominent blogger lists could be your pilot.

Quotes or Written Works
For using short quotes or expressions specify the name of the author and his works will be enough.  For using big part of text you have to get permission from author directly. Copyright Clearance Center (CCC) will help you to find author or get permission to use a written work.

To protect your own presentations visit and learn copyright licenses

Resume:
Contact author BEFORE using any copyrighted material will be good choice in any case

Have a nice day ! J