Creating WSOs and Products Based on Other Products
A WSO was recently closed for possible copyright issues because it basically "rewrote" another WSO. A quick primer of issues:
The WSO rules say your product must be something you create. Your product must also comply with applicable laws.
"Copyright" gives a product creator a number of different rights. One of many rights is the right to sell their product. Another right is the right to make copies. Yet another right is the right to make "derivative" works.
A derivative product is something based on the original product.
For example ...
A pdf report written in English is translated into Chinese. The Chinese translation is a derivative work.
A video converted into a pdf is a derivative work.
Taking a product and spinning it, or rewriting it, is a derivative work - even if all the words have been changed.
Just because a product is somehow "different" does not mean it is not a derivative work.
Again, only the copyright owner has the right to make or authorize a derivative work.
There is a misperception that taking a product, making a few word changes or rewriting parts of it means there is a "new" product that can be sold.
Can a new product include ideas found in another product? Obviously. How much does a new product need to be "different" to not be a derivative work? That is the $64,000 question that is impossible to answer because it is factually based on the material, context, amount used, etc. That is what expensive lawyers are for.
The best rule of thumb is to simply create your own product and not look for some simple or easy shortcut of redoing another person's product.
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The WSO rules say your product must be something you create. Your product must also comply with applicable laws.
"Copyright" gives a product creator a number of different rights. One of many rights is the right to sell their product. Another right is the right to make copies. Yet another right is the right to make "derivative" works.
A derivative product is something based on the original product.
For example ...
A pdf report written in English is translated into Chinese. The Chinese translation is a derivative work.
A video converted into a pdf is a derivative work.
Taking a product and spinning it, or rewriting it, is a derivative work - even if all the words have been changed.
Just because a product is somehow "different" does not mean it is not a derivative work.
Again, only the copyright owner has the right to make or authorize a derivative work.
There is a misperception that taking a product, making a few word changes or rewriting parts of it means there is a "new" product that can be sold.
Can a new product include ideas found in another product? Obviously. How much does a new product need to be "different" to not be a derivative work? That is the $64,000 question that is impossible to answer because it is factually based on the material, context, amount used, etc. That is what expensive lawyers are for.
The best rule of thumb is to simply create your own product and not look for some simple or easy shortcut of redoing another person's product.
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Fast & Easy Content Creation
***Especially if you don't have enough time, money, or just plain HATE writing***
Fast & Easy Content Creation
***Especially if you don't have enough time, money, or just plain HATE writing***