If you’ve ever written a website page, taken a photo for your business, posted a video online, designed a logo concept, or even drafted a training manual for your employees, you’ve created something that can be copied in seconds. Here are the copyright basics, what they protect, and why it matters more than you think. That’s the modern problem: creativity is easy to steal because duplication is easy. Copyright law is one of the main tools that helps level the playing field. I’m an attorney at Tucker Law, and while most people know us for injury cases, the truth is the legal world has a common theme: when something important happens, you want to protect yourself before it spirals. With copyrights, the “accident” is usually someone taking your work, passing it off as their own, or using it in a way that costs you money and control. What copyright actually protects: Copyright protects original creative expression that’s fixed in some tangible form. That includes things like: Website text, blog posts, and marketing copy Photos (including product photos and professional headshots) Videos, reels, and online courses Music and audio recordings Books, e-books, PDFs, guides, and manuals Artwork, illustrations, and graphic designs Software code (in many situations) The key idea is “expression,” not just an idea. An easy analogy: an idea is a recipe concept (“a spicy mango salsa”). The expression is the specific recipe you wrote down with your ingredients, measurements, and steps. Copyright protects your written recipe (expression), not the general concept of mango salsa (idea). What copyright does NOT protect: Copyright usually does not protect: Ideas, concepts, or methods (by themselves) Facts (like dates, statistics, or historical events) Titles, short phrases, and slogans (those [...]

You've been working on your business, and the last thing you need is your logo; you find a perfect match on Google images or on Pinterest and want to use it... But now you're asking yourself, "Can I use this logo I found on Google?" The truth is, you may be stepping into a legal mess you didn’t see coming, and the worst part? Most people don’t find out until they’re already invested, and shirts are printed, signs are installed, socials are fully built, maybe even customers recognizing it. Unfortunately, Google is not a store; it's a search engine, and just because you found it online does not mean that it's "free to use". Why "Found on Google" does not mean "Free to use." Google Images is basically a giant display case. It shows you pictures and graphics that live somewhere else on the internet. The fact that you can right-click and save an image does not mean you’re allowed to use it for business. Similar to Pinterest and any other app that is there to display someone's work and get them recognized. Most logos, clip art, cartoons, icons, and illustrations online are protected by copyright the moment they’re created. Copyright is automatic. No registration required. So if you use it in your business branding, you could be accused of infringement even if: You didn’t know who made it you weren’t trying to copy anyone You changed the colors or added text You only used it “a little.” you’re a small business “just starting.” Unfortunately, these are not reasons that a court will excuse. Copyright protects creative works, including icons, logos, drawings, illustrations, and graphic designs. Common mistakes people make that make the situation worse [...]