New web-site : New issues ..... 1

[StevenK]

I'm hoping someone can either answer these questions or point me towards a source where I might find the answers. I'm looking at putting together a new web-site incorporating ideas similar to the following. What problems do I face putting content like this on my site ...?
- Film/Book reviews : I intend to put peoples opinions (submitted by e-mail) on new films/books on a page on my site. Am I able to do this or do I need to seek permission of the makers of the book or film. Someone suggested that all I need to do is include some sort of disclaimer on the page indicating that the reviews are only the opinion of the person concerned. Where do I stand with this ?
- Celebrity pictures : Photographs of people taken with celebrities (again submitted by e-mail). Am I able to publish these on my web-site or do I have to seek permission of the celebrity involved. I'm thinking that I don't need to take things this far as long as the photograph belongs to the sender and has not been copied from another web-site.
- Look-a-likes pictures : I'm thinking of including a page of photographs (submitted by e-mail) of people who look like celebrities. It may be that the person in the picture is the sender of the photograph or it may be that the picture was taken of a passing stranger. Again, where do I stand on publishing these pictures ?

Hope someone can shed a little light on these matters for me .....
Thanks in advance.

Steve.

 

[foxdev]

You should be OK on the reviews, but in the danger zone for the pictures. You have a dual issue with the photos: one, if the picture may be considered an endorsement, you'll need to get written permission and possibly pay royalties to the celebrity. Further, you will have to get written permission and possibly pay royalties to the photographer. Ditto for the lookalikes.

The above advice is not to be taken as legal advice and is for entertainment purposes only. Robert Bradley

http://www.foxdev.com/

Do you have too much money? Visit

http://www.agrainofhope.org

 

[StevenK]

Is there a web-site that I can access that lists do's and don't's for things like this ? Possibly set up by some governing body ?
Steve

 

[foxdev]

Try:

http://www.photo.net/bboard/q-and-a...&topic_id=23&category=Legal (incl. Copyright)

and

http://www.laderapress.com/laderapress/inlegispar2.html

An example quote from the second site:

Web Developer took a picture of actor Clint Eastwood standing on a street corner in Carmel. Developer used the picture on Developer's marketing Web site. Unless Eastwood gave Developer permission to use Eastwood's image, Developer's use of the image violated Eastwood's right of publicity (even though Developer, as "author" of the photo, owned the copyright in the photo).

Robert Bradley

http://www.foxdev.com/

Got extra money lying around? Visit:

http://www.agrainofhope.org

 

[kjonnnnn]

As a photog on the side, you'd need a release from people in pictures. Whenever a face is recognizable in a picture you're suppose to get a release from that person.

Now I'm sure there may be plenty on the web who DONT do that, but you'd rather be safe than sorry.

 

[StevenK]

OK - taking things to a different extreme - how about publishing pictures of people (maybe the submitter of the picture or otherwise) who do not look recognizable but for instance have a nice smile ? (for example !!).

 

[iza]

"As a photog on the side, you'd need a release from people in pictures. Whenever a face is recognizable in a picture you're suppose to get a release from that person." --> as long as there are LESS than 30 people on the photo (at least in France : you can publish any photo with any star on it, as long as there's more than 30 people on the photo it's considered as a crowd, therefore you can't be sued)
anyway you shouldn't care, just find someone to host your site in a country where there are no laws - you're submitted to the laws of the country where your site is, not the laws of your country ;-) some islands right now are specialized in it )

 

[kjonnnnn]

By recognizable I mean you can see the faces clearly.

I've enter contests before and if I shoot people walkn down the street, I'd have to have a release before the contest holders would accept my entries.

Thats why sometimes in Reality TV programs some faces are blurred out, they didnt give a release for their image to be made public.

 

[StevenK]

Also, where do I stand on publishing pictures of places - be them restaurants, cinemas or pubs ?
Thanks again ....
Steve