5 workplace copyright myths debunked

Are you and your team at risk of copyright infringement? Discover why it’s so easy to inadvertently infringe copyright at work, and why upskilling your team could be the solution you didn’t know you needed. 

A survey conducted by Savanta, commissioned by the Copyright Licensing Agency, (CLA), found that,

• 72% of UK professionals agreed that copyright is a risk for their business
• 45% of respondents do not agree that their company is taking sufficient steps to reduce the risk of accidental copyright infringement.

This is a pause for thought for responsible organisations across the UK.

Copyright can often be a misunderstood topic, and many of your colleagues may not even realise that their assumptions about copyright and content reuse are incorrect These misconceptions could potentially be putting your organisation at risk of copyright infringement.

So, let’s debunk some common copyright myths together…

Myth: My organisation doesn’t print, photocopy or scan, so our infringement risk is low

Reality: 81% of content used by UK professionals is digital or web based as opposed to print or hardcopy according to our survey, conducted by Savanta.

In the modern digital workplace, various forms of digital copying can happen without you or your colleagues even noticing. This includes copying and pasting from online subscriptions into reports, briefings, or emails, saving articles electronically on servers or PCs, and sharing or hosting external articles on your website.

The video below highlights common workplace actions that can lead to copyright infringement:

Myth: If content is free on the internet, it can be copied and reused freely

Reality: That’s not the case. Just because content is available for free on the internet does not mean it can be reused without permission. Copyright laws still apply on a large majority of published content online, and you must obtain the necessary rights to use someone else’s published content.

Myth: Subscribing to a publication provides copyright permissions

Reality: Subscriptions give you access to content, but it’s essential to recognise the difference between accessing and having the rights to copy and share it. Many publications have explicit copyright statements that prohibit copying, storing, or sharing. So, subscribing to a service doesn’t automatically grant you the right to reuse its content, and misinterpretation of subscription access can inadvertently lead to copyright infringement.

Myth: Ignoring copyright doesn’t impact anyone

Reality: It does! Behaving responsibly in the realm of copyright supports your organisations governance framework and corporate social responsibilities (CSR). By ignoring this aspect of compliance, you potentially undermine the reputation of your organisation.

There is also the matter of paying others for their hard work. By copying and repurposing someone’s work without the required permission, it deprives them of the fair remuneration they would otherwise receive. By seeking the appropriate permissions when reusing published material, creators, authors, and publishers are fairly paid for their efforts. At CLA, we view this as a creative ecosystem – supporting creators to continue their work. Responsible copying practices ensure that quality content continues to be created, allowing us all to benefit from it.

Myth: We pay to receive press clippings, so can circulate them to anyone internally

Reality: You’re not alone. Thousands of UK organisations use media monitoring providers to access media coverage. There are limitations set in the agreement between CLA and these Media Monitoring agencies. Specifically, it only permits one recipient in the organisation to receive the coverage, and it restricts further sharing, saving, and copying of received media coverage within your organisation, (also referred to as multiple access).

If your organisation receives media clippings from a PR agency or a Media Monitoring Organisation, it’s highly likely that you need copyright permission to share these clippings internally. This includes actions such as saving them to a shared drive, emailing, printing, copying, or even forwarding these clippings within your organisation.

Elevating your understanding of copyright at work

We began by debunking 5 myths, but there are countless other misunderstandings and knowledge gaps surrounding copyright. That’s why we developed Copyright in the Workplace – a course designed to help you navigate copyright and ensure your team is well-informed.

To keep teams engaged, Copyright in the Workplace has been designed to engage users through an interactive, narrative-led approach. The accompanying CPD-certified companion tool also provides ongoing support.

At CLA, we understand that topics like Cybersecurity Awareness, GDPR, and EDI training are essential parts of your onboarding process for employees. But have you ever considered the hidden risks your organisation might be facing due to gaps in copyright knowledge? Addressing this is crucial to ensure a well-rounded understanding of compliance.

Generative AI and Copyright Permissions

Did you know that 82% of UK professionals use third-party content in generative AI prompts?

To address this new way of reusing published content, we have introduced Workplace Generative AI permissions to several licences, including the Business Licence, Law Licence, Pharmaceutical Licence, Hotels & Conference Centres Licence, and Public Administration Licence.

These permissions allow organisations to use extracts of licensed published content, such as articles or reports, as prompts in permitted generative AI tools, within defined limits. This supports responsible innovation while ensuring creators are fairly compensated when their work contributes to AI generated outputs.

It’s a step forward in helping organisations stay compliant as they explore generative AI tools in the workplace.

Act responsibly. Protect your organisation. Support creatives. Copy, Right.

Discover more about Copyright in the Workplace

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