Issuu

Is Your Yearbook

Breaking Copyright Law? Can you use this in your yearbook? Yes or No…. Can I use well-known or

Am I able to use logos from

public companies

popular images and logos that I found in a Google

in my yearbook?

search in my yearbook?

This one is both yes AND no. Using logos is safest when you use a large number of logos from a variety of sources that are printed relatively small and overlap each other. This ensures that no logo is prominent enough to be confusing to potential purchasers and that as little as possible of each logo is used.

Nope, those are copyrighted. You generally can’t use well-known or popular images and logos you find through a Google search in your yearbook without permission. The creator or the organization that owns the rights to them has control over how they’re used.

Am I able to use

free QR code generators?

Can I use images of

famous people if I “photoshop” our students into them?

Sorry, no. Most famous photos of celebrities or public figures are copyrighted, meaning you would need permission from the photographer or the owner of the image. This holds true even if you alter the image by adding or modifying elements like inserting students.

Can I use

song lyrics? No. Song lyrics are protected by copyright. The songwriter or the publisher owns the rights to those lyrics, and must give permission for them to be used.

We encourage schools to use a trusted QR provider and be wary of free QR services. These types of tools can present a security risk – for example, routing the user to an intermediate site to scrape their data before sending them to the intended site.

Am I able to use

Spotify QR codes? Schools use Spotify QR codes at their own risk. Spotify’s terms of use prohibit using their QR codes for commercial goods.

So what exactly is copyright? Copyright law rewards creative expression by granting the creator the exclusive right to control its use by others. If you are wondering what can you use or have additional questions check out The Student Press Law Center at SPLC.org. It is a great resource for building your Yearbook and answering your copyright questions.