Copyright Licensing, Support and Compliance
It's Everywhere
Almost everything - online and offline - is copyrighted, from the articles you quote, to the image from your subscribed services, even the programming and scientific books you use. All these are written by someone and it's copyrighted. Yet we use their materials to guide our business decisions.
Do You Know What Your Employees Are Using Everyday?
It's hard to monitor what your employees use for work everyday. From their presentation deck, proposals, reports, training manuals, and more. A quick search online and they'll be presented with many useful materials. But to use it, they need consent.
You Are A Rights Holder Too
Everyone has written something before, be it on paper, an email, social posts and even message you sent on your phone. All these are your materials and if it is substantial, it becomes a copyrighted material. Businesses also create their own materials and can receive compensation for use of their work.
Common Misconceptions
Many believe that a subscription service would grant them the rights to use. That is false. Most subscriptions are for reading, be it for personal or corporate. Using typically requires a Licence on top of a subscription. Even sharing website links can invite trouble! Please check the Terms of Use for all platforms.
Legal Requirement
Do you know that you need consent to use any copyrighted materials for anything, and acknowledging the source is insufficient? It does not matter whether it is for internal or external, private or public, one line or one page.
Legal Risks
Rights holders can take legal action should their works be exploited without consent. These often leads to financial and reputation damages. Risking copyright infringement is much more costly than being compliant.
Corporate Social Responsibility
Creators would like to be compensated for their work and getting a licence ensures just that. Let's face it. What goes around comes around, and we are certain that your business would like to be compensated for its efforts too should anyone make use of them.
Licensing your Copyright
We are often unaware that almost everything—online and offline—is copyrighted. Businesses use copyrighted materials for their work. It is hard to control what employees use everyday and using without consent exposes businesses to copyright risks.
Maintain Copyright Governance With CLASS
Consent is needed for any usage be it for internal or external. Here are 2 ways to obtain consent.
1. Direct Licence
Approaching rights holders for consent is known as Direct Licensing. This allows users the flexibility to negotiate the terms for each material. Fees would vary depending on usage.
2. Collective Licence
Collective Management Organisations (CMO) like CLASS, represents most rights holders, and is a cost-effective way for everything you need. It is a one-stop solution, and a good alternative to individual direct licensing. It is connected to an international framework involving Copyright representatives worldwide, allowing usage for their materials, a simple solution for everyone.
Direct VS Collective
Direct licensing allows for negotiation of unique usage, resulting in variable fees per material per use. This option is for companies with unique needs. Collective licensing provides the global repertoire of materials, covering most needs with low fixed tariffs and multiple uses.