Legal Question in Intellectual Property in California

Copyrights

I am starting a website that will contain summarizations of news stories so that people can see what is happening in the news. Am I allowed to do this or will I be infringing on copyrights of these news stories?


Asked on 7/27/08, 7:36 pm

2 Answers from Attorneys
Michael Stone Law Offices of Michael B. Stone Toll Free 1-855-USE-MIKE

Re: Copyrights

Look up the case, INS v. AP (google fot it)

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Answered on 7/27/08, 8:28 pm
Bryan Whipple Bryan R. R. Whipple, Attorney at Law

Re: Copyrights

If you use the "cut and paste" method or something similar to create your "summarizations," you are probably very quickly and very often going to exceed what's allowed under the "fair use" doctrine, especially if you are running this website for profit (by including ads, for example).

You would be relatively safe if you wrote everything afresh in your own words.

The law of copyrights doesn't protect news facts, it protects the reporter's and/or editors' expression thereof.

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Answered on 7/27/08, 8:29 pm


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