Copyright/Protection of Work

[Mrs.Clooney]

I Need a bit of advice please. I have devised my own set of notes to give to my customers following a make-up lesson... something they can refer back to if needed. They are not extensive but are based on my recommendations for make-up application and products I like using and stem from my learned knowledge and experience with make-up. They have also take effort on my part to put together.

Obviously my customers are going to take these away with them, but how do I go about protecting my efforts from plagiarism/copying etc... and then been passed off as someone elses work? I intend for these notes to also include a picture of my the brushes I use and what each one is used for.

Is it enough to state at the bottom of each page that the notes are my work and therefore not able to be reproduced blah blah blah.....

Thanks in advance.

 

[TheBack&Beyond]

The good news is that all original works (i.e. your notes) are protected under UK copyright law. Including something like "All words copyright © 2010 to Mrs Clooney. Further distribution is prohibited" may put some people off.

The bad news is that currently it is up to you to prove it. If someone passes off your work as their own and isn't making any profit - then it's just bad manners and annoying. (Just think what a wonderful contribution to the good of society in general you're making!)

On the other hand if you find that your notes are included word for word in the new international best selling beauty manual then you might feel rather more aggrieved.

The simplest way I know of proving that you wrote something before a certain date is to print it out and post it to yourself, using recorded delivery so that the date is validated by someone else. Clearly you would never open it - and it'd be a good idea to staple a visible copy of the same work to the outside so that you can tell what's in the envelope without opening it!

If there ever was a dispute you could show this evidence and even open it if you had to!

If you're really worried - then get a solicitor to store it for you - depends on your budget.

hth? Jason.

 

[Mrs.Clooney]

The bad news is that currently it is up to you to prove it. If someone passes off your work as their own and isn't making any profit - then it's just bad manners and annoying. (Just think what a wonderful contribution to the good of society in general you're making!)
I don't think proving it would be a problem. When notes are created in a file on a pc, the properties show when the document was created and any editing.

On the other hand if you find that your notes are included word for word in the new international best selling beauty manual then you might feel rather more aggrieved.
Mmmmmm, international best selling beauty manual... I wish :green:. I shall go on dreaming.

The simplest way I know of proving that you wrote something before a certain date is to print it out and post it to yourself, using recorded delivery so that the date is validated by someone else.
Good idea!



hth? Jason.

Hi Jason and thank you for your response. I am so used to seeing lazy so and sos lifting stuff from other peoples website's because it sounds good, looks cool or they are just too damn lazy to come up with the goods themselves .

Fortunately as far as I am aware, nobody has done this to me yet and maybe they will never bother, however, I would be nuts not to protect my efforts, however simple.

Thanks for the example about © etc.... Much appreciated.

 

[TheBack&Beyond]

I don't think proving it would be a problem. When notes are created in a file on a pc, the properties show when the document was created and any editing.

Also I am a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer. Believe me - the file dates can easily be changed or forged on computers. Who's to say you haven't set your system date 10 years in the past - then created the doc - then set the date back to today? The document properties would show a file created 10 years ago! Sometimes there's nothing better than a good old fashioned rubber stamp!!

I don't think there'd be a copyright judge in the land who'd believe a date on a file without other corroboration.
Happy to help. Jx

 

[dee]

hi ya hun , i think anything like this is a gamble .. just the same as putting your pics on the web , people steal em and pass em off as their own
i think the only thing you can do is the phrases and copyright image etc.. its pants but thats the joy of the www !!! good luck xxx

 

[fozzyo]

If you want some solid advice, or support in the future in case you need to make a case I would look into the Federation of Small Businesses.

Mat

 

[persianista]

Best thing to do is pop them in an envelope and post it to yourself. Dont open it. It will be postmarked with your copywrited material.
This can be opened in court and used as evidence if needed.

 

[jes]

Hi, I'm pretty sure you can only copyright original work, like writing a poem, song or novel. Are you confident your notes are of original content and are based only on your own ideas?