Blog Law
As you may know, I am an attorney in real life. I have received quite a few emails and have been asked at blogging conferences about legal issues. I get emails and tweets daily asking me about various issues that bloggers experience with regard to legal, regulatory, and ethical situations.
Please check out my Digital (Online) Rights and Blog Law series.
If you have any questions please let me know and I’ll do my best to answer them. I can not advise on specific matters that you are experiencing, as I do not have an attorney/client relationship with you. My goal is to provide information for bloggers so they can be professional and continue to grow their business despite the quagmire that is often called ‘the law’.
You can contact me by using my contact page or sending an email to sara (at) savingforsomeday (dot) com.
Disclosure: While I am a lawyer, I am not offering legal advice. Posts on legal matters are intended to provide legal information and do not create an attorney/client relationship.
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I’m glad you are answering questions. I have found it hard to find straight forward information on blogging and the law! Thank you
Stacy @ Delighting in the Days recently posted..My Morning Nest
Thanks for posting this information! What a resource for a total newbie like me!
Gratitude.
Dayna recently posted..golden
Dayna, thanks for letting me know you find my series helpful. I strive to provide information for both new and seasoned bloggers to institute best practices. I appreciate you stopping by.
~ Sara
Thank you so much! I heard a news story yesterday about a blogger who made a comment about a someone and was sued. She wouldn’t give up her source and learned that we don’t have that type of protection.
Harsh lesson to learn. I’m now seeing how important it is to educate myself on the legalities of what I’m doing!
Through the Lens of Kimberly Gauthier, Photography Blog recently posted..Digital Photography School- Guest Blogging
According to a 2005 court ruling out of California found that bloggers are not journalists. There was an appeal, and it applied only to the specific facts of that case and determined the bloggers involved in that particular case were indeed journalists and covered by the laws protecting journalists.
It is a harsh reality though, that the majority of bloggers are not, in fact, journalists and would need to overcome the general rule that we are not.
Thank you, Kimberly, for sharing this important part of blogging.
Sara
Thanks for the additional details. I’m astounded by what I’ve learned in this short time about blogging + the law.
A friend introduced me to your blog and it is WONDERFUL. I am learning so much! Thanks for all you do!
Thanks, that’s interesting.
What about the other way round, what do you advise to do when you find your content, text or graphics, ‘stolen’, i.e. used without your knowledge or permission. I know that many simply can’t be bothered.
Sorry, if you’ve already covered it and I missed the post.