These days, if you want to get your crypto project seen, you have to launch token campaigns. These types of campaigns, naturally, make the public aware of the new project and why they should buy it. Because we live in a visual world, launching any such campaign will require additional materials, such as photos, videos, and much more. There are several things to be aware of when creating a campaign, such as budget, sensitivity, and much more. However, one pitfall you can possibly fall into is copyright.
One of the worst things you want is to face legal action for using copyrighted material within a campaign. In the best-case scenario, the content is flagged and removed by various digital platforms. In the worst case, you might be taken to court and have to pay to find the copyright holder. As such, you have to be very careful when launching token campaigns to avoid such issues. Luckily, there are several ways you can go about copyright issues, some of which are as follows:
Use Royalty-Free Images
The issue of copyright has existed for as long as the internet has been around, and so, a few solutions have popped up. Perhaps the most common is royalty-free stock images that anyone can use for any purpose. By looking at sites like Pexels and Unsplash, you can find royalty-free images for virtually every topic and scenario. In fact, it was even a meme a few years ago how absurd and oddly specific some of them can be.
If you need images for a campaign and want to avoid copyright issues, you might want to look into various stock image platforms. They not only provide the images but also details of the creator and license use. Some images are licensed for non-commercial purposes, while some are free for all. Make sure to confirm this before using any images or videos, and you should be fine.
Pay For Copyright Use
If you’re especially keen on this particular image or video, and you find that it is indeed copyrighted, you can always pay for its use. Typically, this involves messaging the creator and letting them know the purposes for which you want to use the content. If they agree, you can sign a release form that allows you to leverage the images or videos for your commercial content, and you should be fine. There’s typically a fee associated, and this depends on how much content you need and what the creator demands. Make sure you have this agreement in writing to avoid any legal issues down the line.
Create Your Own Content
Ultimately, perhaps the best way to avoid any copyright issues when using images and videos is to create your own. While it might take a bit of money to create your own original content, it means that it is yours to use however you like for as long as you want. Of course, you have to have written contracts with the creator of such content, such as a videographer, that give you the right to the content. This can sometimes get tricky, as some creators want their work watermarked while others are happy to sign over rights for commercial use. Have your legal team review the documents before you begin to avoid issues.
This also applies to content creation platforms like Canva. It is easy to assume that whatever content you create on these platforms is free for whatever purposes you want. The reality is you have to confirm the templates, colors, and other creative assets have been licensed from the creators to be used commercially before you do so.
Give Credit
If you are using anyone’s work for commercial purposes, make sure you give adequate credit if they require it. On some stock image websites, for example, it’s stated that you can use certain content for commercial purposes as long as the creator is credited or named. If that is the case, make sure you go through with this to avoid offending anyone or violating any rules. The golden rule of copyright usage is that it is better to overcredit than to undercredit.
Stay on Track With Usage Laws
Copyright laws are not set in stone and are always changing from one year to the next. Images and other content that would have been considered fair game in the past might now fall under copyright. A good example of this was when several celebrities, such as Gigi and Bella Hadid, were sued for using paparazzi images taken of themselves on their social media.
The idea was that because it is an image of them, they have ownership of it. Instead, the photographers claim that it is their creation, and thus, it was a violation of their copyright. Similar issues are brewing with the use of AI-generated content, especially those made by language models trained on other creators’ work. Because it is such a new space, laws regarding AI use and creative content are still evolving, but this is also something to keep an eye on.
Make sure your legal team is briefed on your plans in terms of creating token campaigns and can inform you of whatever developments are going on in that regard.
Conclusion
Copyrights can be one of the most frustrating things to deal with, but as long as you’re putting out token campaigns with creative assets, it is something you have to consider. Luckily, there are several ways you can go about avoiding any copyright issues, and we’ve touched on some in this article. This includes creating your own content, using stock images, and much more. In all of this, make sure you have your rights properly documented in case you ever have to defend yourself.
