Don't risk copyright infringement - use your own images or those from RGBI recommended copyright free unsplash.com

Copyright Infringement – via RGBI

When your club/district uses literary works such as songs, poems, illustrations, photographs, charts, videos, or graphs in presentations, club/district websites, online or in newsletters, you must obtain a licence or permission from the author prior to use.

·        This includes any songs, photos, etc. you find on the Internet or created by a Rotary club member.

·        Spend time trying to identify the copyright owner and if you do not have permission from the owner, do not use it.

·        Look for organisations that provide public copyright licences (Creative Commons), open access images or royalty free licenses. Paying a small fee to use an image is preferable to your club receiving a copyright infringement demand letter.

·        Consult a solicitor for assistance in determining copyright ownership if necessary.

·        Please know that “fair use” is a defence to copyright infringement and is applied on a case-to-case basis and generally applies to commentary, criticism and parody and would not apply to a Rotary Club’s activities and promotions.

·        If you are using a photograph, video or other recording that includes the image or any personal data of any recognizable person, you must obtain permission from each person (or the parent or guardian of any minor child) before using that photograph, video or other recording.

·        There are a number of standard release templates online created by rights, arts or photography organisations that may be a comprehensive basis for your document.

The information provided in this document is intended to help Rotarians manage risks. The information provided does not constitute professional, legal, financial or insurance advice. It is highly recommended that you contact a local legal, financial, or insurance professional for such advice.