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Where does the line get drawn for stealing other peoples content and products?

by cjsparacino123
7 replies
So i'm working on a new business, marketing for musicians, i'm signed up for some audio training courses on the topic, and im planning to learn them, then sell my self providing these services for others... Also planning on building products that are basically the best points of these audio programs im using...

So my question is, is this legal?

I mean technically im learning a skill (music marketing) which i then will market, that i think is okay, what trips me up is if i make products that are basically rip offs of this training im doing will i get in trouble?

Chris
#content #drawn #line #peoples #products #stealing
  • Profile picture of the author stackman
    As long as you aren't directly ripping off content and calling your own, isn't this the way the world works? You go to college (or buy an IM course) , learn from other people's teaching, methods, and materials, and apply it yourself to your own purposes.

    I would suggest however, that you add some of your own content to your courses rather than simply creating a digest of other people's work. The other people's work will be your competition, so you need to improve on and make it better.
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  • Profile picture of the author Max Anderson
    As long as you aren't doing copy & paste everything should be fine.
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  • Profile picture of the author yukon
    Banned
    As long as you're selling as a service it's not a big deal.

    If you're ripping off someone else & distributing the other persons content as your own, well, that's knee deep in douche bag land.
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    • Profile picture of the author BigFrank
      Banned
      Originally Posted by yukon View Post

      If you're ripping off someone else & distributing the other persons content as your own, well, that's knee deep in douche bag land.
      Help! I'm drowning!!!

      Cheers. - Frank
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  • Profile picture of the author hannahlist
    You're selling a service.

    If you're selling someone else's work product then it would be stealing.

    But if you're selling a service based on knowledge you learned elsewhere, there's no stealing... UNLESS you're using PROPRIETARY INFORMATION that is strictly forbidden by your training.

    That exception doesn't apply to most services so you should be fine.
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    • Profile picture of the author The Niche Man
      That's one of those areas you have to be careful doing, especially if you're going to immediately market similar information after training. Make sure none of their copyrighted material subconsciously 'seeps' into your materials.

      If you're successful and they smell a hint of anything similar to what they're doing (or did) they still may come after you. Not to mention you'll be their competition, so you'll eventually cross paths somewhere at some time.

      You want to protect yourself in case they (or their attorney) puts your business model under the spotlight, magnifying glass or microscope.

      So, make sure you have your own unique twist, your own personal stamp and continue to add your own niche ideas, to protect yourself.

      But of course the best way to protect yourself is have a "copyright attorney" look over your materials before you launch.
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  • Profile picture of the author discrat
    Originally Posted by cjsparacino123 View Post

    So i'm working on a new business, marketing for musicians, i'm signed up for some audio training courses on the topic, and im planning to learn them, then sell my self providing these services for others... Also planning on building products that are basically the best points of these audio programs im using...

    So my question is, is this legal?

    I mean technically im learning a skill (music marketing) which i then will market, that i think is okay, what trips me up is if i make products that are basically rip offs of this training im doing will i get in trouble?

    Chris
    This can be a real gray area. Be careful. You can read and learn a skill and then incorporate that into your OWN Product with your own twist on it with your own wording.

    Even this can be tricky, though. If it is a idea that is unique and has some proprietary undertones you could still be in violation even using your own words and twists



    - Robert Andrew
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