Are you allowed to take screen shots of websites you are talking about in an ebook?

[BuildItForFree]

Are you allowed to take screen shots of websites you are talking about in an ebook?

I am putting together an ebook and I would like to know if I am allowed to take screen shots or even videos on how to use the website? And add it to my ebook?

Thanks in Advance!

Richard

[Jay Truman]

If in doubt, Ask the site owner

[JAIDEEP2959]

Definitely yes.

Why not?

Visitors are going to visit that website anyway.

[BuildItForFree]

Originally Posted by Jay Truman

If in doubt, Ask the site owner

Most of the sites are too large and it would be too time consuming.

[BuildItForFree]

Originally Posted by JAIDEEP2959

Definitely yes.

Why not?

Visitors are going to visit that website anyway.

That's what I would think, but is that what the law thinks?

[artwebster]

Think about your question carefully. You are saying that you are writing about web sites without the owners of the web sites being aware and that you want to use screen shots of the web sites, also without the owner being aware.

I think a lot will depend upon what you say, how you say it and how long it will take for the owners of the web sites to discover what you have done.

Your excuse that asking permission takes too long is just a little too cavalier for my taste.

[BuildItForFree]

Originally Posted by artwebster

Think about your question carefully. You are saying that you are writing about web sites without the owners of the web sites being aware and that you want to use screen shots of the web sites, also without the owner being aware.

I think a lot will depend upon what you say, how you say it and how long it will take for the owners of the web sites to discover what you have done.

Your excuse that asking permission takes too long is just a little too cavalier for my taste.

I think you are misunderstanding me.

My Question is it legal to do without asking permission. If not then either I won't take the screen shots or I will seek permission even if it takes a long time.

The purpose of this thread is to learn if I am writing a review/recommendation about a website, can I take a screen shot to post with my review.

[Istvan Horvath]

If it is just to use it as an "image" to illustrate the text... I don't see why not. It happens automatically every day with every website. Think "snap preview anywhere": you hover a link to a website and the snapshot of the site pops up.

[Kingshouse]

Originally Posted by BuildItForFree

I think you are misunderstanding me.

My Question is it legal to do without asking permission. If not then either I won't take the screen shots or I will seek permission even if it takes a long time.

The purpose of this thread is to learn if I am writing a review/recommendation about a website, can I take a screen shot to post with my review.

All it takes is a simple email to the owner of the site.

Quite frankly if they don't respond then try others. There are lots of websites out there.

I think most webmasters will probably say yes once you convince them you are genuine

No point getting into trouble over nothing!

Let integrity reign....

There's my few pennies

Will D

[CliveG]

I would play safe with this and seek permission. Surely it's worth doing if you are going to the trouble of preparing a video. They may even help you. I would in their position as you would be promoting my site, but not everyone sees it that way.

As far as the legal side is concerned, I am not a lawyer, but if, for example, you reproduce a page that contains content that you can read then that is probably a copyright violation in most jurisdictions. If you show a web page as a postage stamp size link then that might be OK. If you have a concern you should consult a lawyer - at least one reads this forum.

[Pat Jackson]

Angela and Paul include screenshots of every site in their backlink packets.

Maybe you could ask one of them..

I doubt either of them ask the sites permission considering the reaction of a couple of the sites when everyone started putting backlinks on them.

[BuildItForFree]

Originally Posted by James Lancaster

I think it's ok to include screenshots and videos IF the site is public.
It can be seen by everyone, I think it's totally ok.

do you think it would make a difference if the screenshot was on a free public website as opposed to an ebook that people pay for?

[Raydal]

I've seen serveral print books that show snapshots of websites
and in their legalise there is no indication that they asked permission
of these websites to print these pictures.

I would think it is a acceptable practice, but again this is not legal
advice. Most books dealing with online subjects do this all the time.

I've used these in my ebooks as well and never had a complain.

-Ray Edwards

[Frankie D]

If not I'm in big trouble...

[Paul Coleman]

Richard,

Yes, it's Ok. It is considered Fair Use. Of course, it depends on certain factors. It's best to limit the screenshot to a portion of the page quoted, and not to take screenshots of a whole bunch of pages.

Ask the Law Geek: Is publishing screenshots Fair Use? - Copyright - Lifehacker

The 'Fair Use' Rule: When Use of Copyrighted Material is Acceptable


Paul

Originally Posted by BuildItForFree

Are you allowed to take screen shots of websites you are talking about in an ebook?

I am putting together an ebook and I would like to know if I am allowed to take screen shots or even videos on how to use the website? And add it to my ebook?

Thanks in Advance!

Richard

[BuildItForFree]

Originally Posted by ic7

Richard,

Yes, it's Ok. It is considered Fair Use. Of course, it depends on certain factors. It's best to limit the screenshot to a portion of the page quoted, and not to take screenshots of a whole bunch of pages.

Ask the Law Geek: Is publishing screenshots Fair Use? - Copyright - Lifehacker

The 'Fair Use' Rule: When Use of Copyrighted Material is Acceptable


Paul

Wow!

Your the man! Thanks so much!

[SKWeaver]

Paul - great response. Thanks for the links. I've never really understood fair use (and obviously never took the time to figure it out). I guess now I can justify the gazillions of screenshots I've been using.

[kkchoon]

I do that on all my ebooks, no one has such questions until now...

[Paul Coleman]

No problem guys!

Paul

Originally Posted by BuildItForFree

Wow!

Your the man! Thanks so much!

Originally Posted by SKWeaver

Paul - great response. Thanks for the links. I've never really understood fair use (and obviously never took the time to figure it out). I guess now I can justify the gazillions of screenshots I've been using.

[digitalboyz]

should be no problem.but to be safe,u can ask permission from the owner of the website.

[barbling]

What I do whenever I include screenshots is to make the images in my pdf clickable as WELL as pointing the reader to the actual link as well.

Anything that can drive targeted traffic to another site is a good thing to do.

[marciayudkin]

I've seen several print books that show snapshots of websites
and in their legalise there is no indication that they asked permission
of these websites to print these pictures.

I would think it is a acceptable practice, but again this is not legal
advice. Most books dealing with online subjects do this all the time.

I'm the author of a book that has a lot of screen shots in it. My publisher (which went bankrupt during the dot-com bust because of circumstances beyond their control) published a lot of computer-related books and did not ask me to get permission for any screen shots.

However, other publishers are ultra-careful and require signed permissions for just about everything.

In my understanding (I'm not a lawyer), the reason you may not need permission to publish screen shots is that if you are commenting critically on these web sites, using them to illustrate a positive or negative point, it is considered "fair use." If you are using web site screen shots just as decoration, then this is not "fair use" and would require signed permission and possibly a permission fee.

Things get really tricky if you are using screen shots of sites that are not publicly available, however. In that instance, you should probably ask permission of the site owner.

Marcia Yudkin