Are Pinterest Images Copyright Free
In the global social network, there has been an explosion of knowledge sharing that allows users in one part of the world to connect with those on the other side of the world. It’s easy to see that there are many benefits of this global community.
In our everyday lives we can see, view, and consume content that is created by others who look, act, and speak differently than us.
However, there are drawbacks to these connections especially when we consider the laws that govern other’s borders and how those differences being less or more favorable than in our home country affect our online businesses.
When talking about the global community on Pinterest, the platform encourages knowledge sharing in a visual manner for all users. This emphasis on sharing opens up a list of questions that I will address in this post (as it relates to my home country, the United States) and includes:
- What is a copyright?
- Who owns a copyright?
- What is copyright infringement?
- Are Pinterest images copyright free?
Let’s dive into the answers.
Note: If you’re looking for guidance from a global and world perspective, be sure to access the World Intellectual Property Organization for more details.
What is a copyright?
A copyright, according to the United States government copyright office, is defined as “a type of intellectual property that protects original works of authorship as soon as an author fixes the work in a tangible form of expression. In copyright law, there are a lot of different types of works, including paintings, photographs, illustrations, musical compositions, sound recordings, computer programs, books, poems, blog posts, movies, architectural works, plays, and so much more!”
In other words, a copyright is the protection the United States government gives to uphold the intellectual property of an original creation.
Who owns a copyright?
The subsequent question you might then ask is who owns a copyright.
Anyone and everyone who creates any intellectual property can be the owner of a copyright.
The United States Copyright office further states that “Once you create an original work and fix it, like taking a photograph, writing a poem or blog, or recording a new song, you are the author and the owner.”
Pinterest also shares that “Copyrights are generally owned by whoever creates the work of expression. In some cases, the owner may be someone else if the work was created by an employee or contractor. The original owner can also transfer ownership of the copyright to others.”
What is copyright infringement?
Now that we know and have established what a copyright is, when does copyright infringement occur?
This happens when an individual, company or entity, uses a copyrighted work without the express permission from the copyright owner.
For example, if you come across a pin on Pinterest and then use that same image for your blog post on your owned website, while expressly noting who created the image, this would fall under copyright infringement.
Unless you have the express and likely written permission from the creator of the intellectual property, you are not authorized to republish the works in this manner.
Are Pinterest images copyright free?
The images and videos that you repin and save on Pinterest are there to be used on the platform and saved to boards. By doing this, the copyright of the creative works that you saved are not being transferred to you.
Therefore, it’s important to know and understand that Pinterest images are not necessarily copyright free and caution should be used when referencing or copying the intellectual property.
Also note that the copyright even applies beyond Pinterest if you take the image or video to another social platform such as Instagram or TikTok.
While it may seem harmless to use an image or video without given credit, know that you may be directly engaging in copyright infringement.
Pinterest Copyright Infringement Notification
This is something that has personally happened to me when I created content that went viral on Pinterest.
If and when this type of situation occurs, please know that as the original creator, you own the copyright and you have the right to a takedown request.
A takedown request allows the copyright owner to specifically request that Pinterest disallow the original works to be used and published by others. You may have to complete the Copyright Infringement Notification form and also prove that the works originated with you. It is cumbersome to address all the takedown requests especially if there are many, but know that Pinterest takes this violation of copyright infringement seriously.
Takedown request form - Your contact information
Once you access the takedown request form, your contact information is requested by Pinterest including relevant details on who is requesting the alleged infringement of your copyright.
Note: Be sure that the Full Legal Name field also corresponds to the signature field noted below.
Takedown request form - Identify your work
It is important to identify your work and the details surrounding what you deem to be an infringement of your copyright. Adding a detailed description will ensure that Pinterest has the most relevant information to process your form and clearly identify the work.
Takedown request form - Identify the materials to remove
Not only do you as the owner of the copyright need to identify the specific work, you also must share details around where the content was shown specifically on the Pinterest platform. This burden lies with the individual challenging the copyright violation.
Takedown request form - Confirmation and signature
Finally, before submitting the form and takedown request, the individual is required to attest to the accuracy of the form and explicitly claim that “under penalty of perjury that I am the owner, or authorized to act on behalf of the owner, of the copyright or of an exclusive right under the copyright…” according to the details of the form.
Conclusion
When in doubt, always request permission to use possibly copyrighted content.
If the shoe were on the other foot, how would you feel to have your original works stolen and misrepresented as being owned and created by someone else?
From my experience, it hasn’t felt good and I don’t recommend it. Knowing what is acceptable in this social landscape is important as an online content creator and business owner.
The first step to protecting your intellectual property is to understand the rules that govern the process.
Southern California based Professional Organizer, Sandy Park, owner and founder of Tidy with SPARK shares her joy of organization with her clients.
She serves clients in Orange County as well as the hundreds of thousands of followers on her combined social media platforms.
Connect with Sandy through her website or by connecting through her social channels.