Image Source

I've noticed something on Steemit that I find a bit more amusing than annoying or aggravating, mainly because it's the internet. There seems to be a complete misunderstanding by some users of how copyright works. Some seem to use image that are very likely copyrighted, but they include a link below it, often marked "Source", linking back to where they got it. Basically, they're copying the behavior of some people images with certain public usage rights, with no understanding of why they are doing it.

Everything that anyone has ever created, they own the copyrights to. They are the only ones with the right to copy what they make, unless they license them out. What that means is that if someone creates a great work of art, you can't simply take a picture of it, or paint your own, and then sell it, for example, unless you get their permission. Yes, this even applies to things on the internet. Just because it's on the internet does not mean that it's public domain. When you right-click an image, and save it to your hard drive, you might be committing a copyright violation. It's a crime of convenience. Like if someone leaves some money out, and walks away. Normally you wouldn't steal, but they just left it there. You might as well take it. Right? Well, that's between you and your own moral beliefs.

When you copy an image from the internet, you can't simply copy it, then link back to where it came from, unless it's copyright is one of free use with attribution. That means that you are free to use it, as long as you attribute the image to who made it, and don't claim that you made it yourself.

There are also public domain works. These I can use without any attribution, if I want to. So don't get all up in arms with someone just because they don't have a source. There might be no requirement for that image. Reverse image search it first, and check if they violated the copyright, if you want to complain.

I personally have chosen to still attribute public domain works that I use, because it's easier than looking it up again if someone decides to be annoying and ask.

Now there's one case in common use on the internet today that might just cause you to violate copyright regularly. That case, is that of the memes. Memes are fun, right? Yeah, they can be. They can be hilarious. They can also make absolutely no sense, and you can wonder why people are even sharing them. Many memes are also likely copyright violations. Most memes take an image, often one that is copyrighted, and then they add text to it, and then they share it. Others then share that meme freely all over the internet. The one main defense that might protect memes is they might be considered "transformative". This means that the meme is entirely different than the original work, and adds something substantial to it. To prove that though, you'd have to go to court. Does the copyright for that meme then belong to the author? Well, good luck trying to find the original source of some memes.

It's not hard to find pictures that you can use in your posts, but you do kind of have to do a little research. One thing's for certain, you can't just steal something, and tell people where you got it, and expect everything to be all good.

Image copyright CC0 Creative Commons.
Free for commercial use. No attribution required.
Courtesy of Pixabay. (source)

If you've got this far, why not go ahead and tell me down below what you think about using memes in posts. Should one not use them? Should you use them, but link the source where you got them?