Question of the Day: I have a question about the article about copyright and murals where you were quoted. I'd think that art that is in public view would be fair game, but I guess not. What if the art in question had been unauthorized graffiti? Would that have any effect? My office is in the same building as an iconic music venue, Radio City Music Hall. If my marketing materials included imagery that includes the front of my building with their iconic signage, would I need to license that too?

Art that is in public view is not in the public domain. You may need a copyright license to take and use photos of a mural, graffiti, and possibly a building. I was recently quoted in an article in the Phoenix New Times about a company that was accused of copyright infringement for using a mural in the background of promotional photos without obtaining a copyright license.

If legal questions were easy, we wouldn’t need lawyers.

More helpful information available here:
Phoenix Artist Says a Car Company Didn't Ask Before Using His Mural as a Backdrop: https://bit.ly/3hBwLQJ
Who to ask for Permission to Use a Photo: http://bit.ly/2jfVe1v
How Can You Tell If an Image is Copyrighted:    • How Can You Tell if an Image is Copyr...  
What If You Can’t Find the Copyright Owner for an Image?:    • What If You Can’t Find the Copyright ...  

Ruth Carter is an attorney at Venjuris Law Firm in Phoenix, Arizona – a firm that focuses on business, intellectual property, and internet/social media law. They are also a professional speaker, blogger, and author through Carter Law Firm.

Books:
The Legal Side of Blogging: How Not to get Sued, Fired, Arrested, or Killed: http://amzn.to/1FpqUE2
Flash Mob Law: http://amzn.to/1XpauoD
The Legal Side of Blogging for Lawyers: http://amzn.to/1VKdFbB

If you have questions or want to chat, you can see all the ways to contact and connect Ruth Carter here: http://carterlawaz.com/contact/
Twitter:   / rbcarter  
Facebook:   / carterlawfirmpllc  
LinkedIn:   / ruthcarter  
Legal Blog: http://carterlawaz.com/blog/
Personal Blog: http://undeniableruth.com/
Venjuris Law Firm: http://www.venjuris.com/
My Blatantly Honest Lawyer Bio: http://bit.ly/2lyfgJr

Disclaimer: This video does not constitute legal advice. Watching this video does not create an attorneyclient relationship with any viewer. If you need personalized legal advice, hire an attorney.