reviewing movies is illegal ?

by 13 replies
15
hello there,
today I got a message saying that my website contains a copyrighted content on it and I should remove it quickly
IT4S A REVIEW OF A MOVIE, it contains the actors name and synopsis
the picture is the cover of the movie, same one as in imdb
i'm a bit confused about that
#main internet marketing discussion forum #illegal #movies #reviewing
  • Are you sure the complaint is legit? Can you forward it to me?

    shoenickel@gmail.com

    i will take a look at it.
  • Banned
    Well, who owns the copyright to the photo?

    There's no problem (that I'm aware of) reviewing movies, but if you don't own the copyright to the photo, and you've put it on your site without permission, then the copyright owner can clearly complain, or serve a DMCA notice, or even sue??

    I think it's fairly simple, Del? Just "breach of copyright": you can't put other people's photos on your website without their permission, or a licence, or whatever.


    .
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
  • Maybe you forgot to link back or give content source from.
    • [1] reply
    • That won't absolve you of infringement. If you use something you don't have the rights to, you can be sued for it.
  • The title for this thread is misleading. Reviewing movies isn't illegal as you already know. Copyright infringement is. Do you have the right to use the image?
  • Believe me. It's definitely the image that they are talking about if it's legit copyright claim.
    • [ 1 ] Thanks
  • Truthfully, even using the image (especially if you're using the image in a movie review) is TECHNICALLY legal under copyright law (I'm not a lawyer). It falls under Fair Use doctrine. It's the reason we can put a quote from a Disney movie onto a meme and not get sued. And IF it actually went to court, you'd probably win.

    BUT this isn't about court and what's actually legal. This is about DMCA - big corporations with bottomless pockets bullying small websites on the Internet into compliance. If you decide to fight it, it will cost you millions and millions of dollars. You might win (the precedence is there), but so what? Is it worth spending millions of dollars to fight them over a single image on a single website? Probably not, and they know it. So they're just going to bully you into submission.

    Fall in line and be a good little comrade. We've always been at war with Eurasia.
    • [1] reply
    • That is not true.

      Images are not the same as print.

      While it falls under "fair use" to quote short passages from a book or article you are reviewing, it is NOT fair use to use images without permission.

      Edit: Except for a few examples like parody or satire. Even news organizations pay licenses for images used in news stories unless they were taken by a staff photographer. Check the image credits when you read the news.
      • [1] reply
  • Well I juse posted the same image that everyone opst on their reviews, even imdb has it, my post doesnt contain any download link
    • [1] reply
    • Banned
      Ah, yes, indeed: the famous "everyone else does it, too" defense?

      Not such a great defense, Del: mostly famous for being irrelevant and useless, I'm afraid.

      .
  • Change the image and get over it bro.. Not worth fighting for!
    • [1] reply
    • The 'everyone is doing it' defense - the 'call it fair use' defense'....don't be a fool and try to use those excuses. If you are going to take armchair lawyer advice in this thread - you might need to have a real life lawyer at the ready!

      If you don't have permission to use an image - don't use it. If you are asked not to use a trademarked brand name - don't use it.
      • [ 1 ] Thanks
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