Darren Welsh, Attorney for Prudential Americana Group Realtors in Las Vegas, posted on April 23, 2010:

TGIF Legal Tip: Blogs and Copyright Infringement

Darren discusses a recent lawsuit brought against a REALTOR for alleged copyright infringement.  Bottom line, don't take the entire article or work of another and post it on your web or blog site.  This practice is not okay even if you cite the source or post a link back to the original.

The best practice is to reference the post or article AND add your commentary, remarks, response, etc.  You could use a specific paragraph and always include a link to the original material.

According to Darren's research - the Las Vegas Review Journal's position is:

“You may use one paragraph and link back to the original article on our website. Thanks.”  Joyce E. Lupiani, Stephens Media Interactive, reviewjournal.com, lvbusinesspress.com, lvcitylife.com, casinogaming.com, viewnews.com, stephenspress.com. 702.477.3821

Another potential legal issue is the use of images, graphics and photos on your blog or web site.  Again, make sure you are using original material or you have the expressed permission of the publisher/owner of the material to use it.   Another option is to get an account with a service like IStockphoto where you can purchase quality royalty-free images for as low as $1.

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