Be aware of intellectual property and copyright issues and how they apply to materials used on the web:
- Intellectual property rights ensure that people can earn recognition or benefit financially from their inventions or creations.
- Copyright laws protect original works of creative expression.
If you want to use a copyrighted work (photos, graphics, video, music and other audio), you either need permission or your use must fall under an exception or limitation in the Copyright Act. There are a variety of exceptions for specific circumstances, but they are generally not applicable when using works on the open web.
To avoid infringing on a creator's copyright, use images that are licensed for use. Failing to do so creates an unnecessary risk to the university. Licensed images may be sourced in various ways:
- through Queen’s (such as images that are shared in Queen's Image Bank)
- by paying fees for usage (such as for stock images)
- by embedding and streaming content from a platform where royalties are paid
- by using Creative Commons licensed content.
The Creative Commons is a non-profit corporation. It provides free licenses for individuals who want to license their work in a way that allows for the work to be shared, remixed, or used by others for both commercial or non-commercial purposes.