Hi,
I have created a website https://serialhaters.com, it is for people who as the name suggests who hate serials. I wanted to try out new facebook open graph custom actions and hence gave it a go. It was meant to be a casual website. People liked the concept and it got featured on pluggd.in and Hindustan times.
I display serials with their posters. Now I am worried does displaying these images amount to copyright infringements on part of me. I have mentioned in terms and conditions that these images are owned by respective owners and used here only to visually identify the serial.
Would appreciate your feedback / advice on the same.
Regards
Ramanuj Mukherjee
This is a slightly complicated issue.
You do not have right to reproduce their posters – it is a violation of copyright.
On the other hand, people have freedom of speech. People should not be prevented from criticizing serials – but u should try and make sure that what you put up constitutes an unique expression. Any claim copyright on the same.
Parodies are legal, so are spoofs. Maybe you can photoshop the posters a bit to exaggerate something – to poke fun at it. Add captions and slogans – be creative. If the result of your fooling around results in a new expression, you can claim copyright on it and the orginal copyright owner can not come after you. If they do, you’d have a reasonable defense ready.