can you copyright a website?

Question

can you copyright it's format/content?

Answer 1

You cannot copyright a website's code, simply because it is classed as being "open source", however you can use javascript to disable the "view source" option on a browser to make it more difficult to copy.

As for graphics, you cannot copyright these either - however, you CAN retain intellectual property. You can trademark a logo and branding scheme, you can copyright your text content, but graphically the appearance of the site is part of your intellectual property. If you state this clearly somewhere on your website then you are within your rights to take someone to court if you find they have completely ripped off all of the components in your design (ie. graphics, text, sound and animation). However, if they change any of the elements significantly then they can claim that their design (which is also protected as intellectual property), then all they have to do is state that your site "influenced/inspired them" - and you will have no rights whatsoever.

In a nutshell, if you're designing for the web you don't stand a chance in hell of copyrighting your material. If your work is truly *that* good, your best bet is to get the site recognised by a few of the major "web awards" sites. This way if it is copied, everyone will know that yours came first and you can retain some kind of pride in your work.

I've been a web designer since 1998 and have created in excess of 1000 websites in that time...at least 2% of those sites have been copied in some way over the years. But I feel pride in that. The internet is free and if you inspire people around the world then you should take pride in it rather than trying to make money off the back of it.

Answer 2

Anything you post or design on the site is copyrighted allready. How far you want to take the copyright is up to you.

Example: people make templates for website. The templates are copyrighted but people can use them because they allow people to use them for a fee or some are free. The templates are copyrighted so no one else can say they did it without being sued.

If you want to copyright important things then Build yourwebsite, and make a copy and put it in a seal envalope and put it somewhere safe. If you want to make an argument in court you can bring the seal envalope with a copy of the website for proof that you published it first.

To give a hint that you do not want people to copyright your things you can disable right click and on the bottom you can put Copyright 2006 By Whoever, All rights Reserve. All content is ment to be viewed on www.mysite.com All logo, images and belong to Mysite.com and is a trademark of....If someone has copied this site without permision then please send an email at [e-mail]

By law anything you put on the website is your own and therby is copyrighted by the poster. From images to documents

Answer 3

you do not "would desire to copyright" your artwork. it somewhat is already copyrighted. Copyright is unfastened, instantaneous and computerized and has been (interior the u . s . a .) on the grounds that 1989. Registration is punctiliously optionally available and the final public of copyrighted supplies at the instant are not registered everywhere. Paying somebody to record a pointless utility for registration of a copyright you already very own would not make any experience. An smart 12-year-previous can fill out the varieties and pay the $35 value, which might in basic terms be needed once you're particularly attempting to sue somebody in a U.S. federal court docket. As they say interior the excerpt you quoted, they don't seem to be your legal experts and you could not sue them for criminal malpractice in the event that they provide you bogus information or fail to record something you place up. in addition, you could not get criminal advice on Yahoo!solutions -- in basic terms information that would assist you to physique the right questions for terribly own lawyer, given your particular circumstances.

Answer 4

It depends. You can copyright your domain name, LogoVertising.com, for example. you can copyright the source code of your website, of course, you has to be the one designing it rather than copying others. you can also copyright the graphics on your website if they're designed or photographed by you.

Answer 5

u can copyright the website but u need some software or to contact somewhere might cost few dosh never kno lol

Answer 6

No, but you could trademark graphics that represent the site.

Answer 7

Yes, if it is unique enough