University of North Texas 
Dos & Don'ts of Copyright & Trademark Compliance
Last Updated: 07/06/2022 16:35
The following is a concise reference for copyright and trademark compliance best practices. It is not intended to constitute or substitute for detailed information or legal advice. If you have any questions or concerns about any use of copyrighted work or trademarks, please submit a request here and we will be happy to provide detailed information. If you require legal advice, please contact the Office of General Counsel.
Do |
Don't |
|---|---|
 Link to third party web sites/pages that contain copyrighted works |
 Link to content you know or should have reason to know is unlicensed or pirated (e.g., a feature length Hollywood movie in YouTube) |
| Use public domain works made prior to 1928, freely |
Copy entire documents, images, or video (always assume a work is copyrighted) |
| Use your or UNT's own creative works, since we are the copyright owners! |
Use another's unpublished work without their express, written permission |
| Request graphic design services from CLEAR |
Modify a copyrighted image & use the new version (it will be an unauthorized "derivative work") |
| Use these select web sites to find images for your course |
Use Google, Bing, or Yahoo to find images for use in your course |
| Use works licensed under Creative Commons terms |
Omit an attribution for any work licensed under Creative Commons terms which requires it |
| Use a screenshot of a software interface |
Use a pirated or unlicensed copy of software -or- screenshot of a web page |
| Reformat (change the font face, color scheme, and order/arrangement) and republish freely available third-party data |
Make an exact copy of a table or graph (the design/layout is copyrighted) |
| Quote/excerpt small portions of a work (5% or less is the target, but under 10% may be passable) |
Copy 10% or more of a work -or- Omit citations |
| Use a still frame image from a video when linking to a web site hosting the video |
Use a still frame image from a video for any purpose not directly pedagogical |
| Use a work you co-authored, unless a work made-for-hire |
Use a work made-for-hire created at a previous employer, without written permission |
| Use government works, as they are considered in the public domain |
Use the name, likeness, photograph, signature, or audio of a famous person |
| Use trademarks to identify a company or individual |
Use trademarks in any other manner, especially advertising |
| Insert YouTube, Vimeo, & TED videos in course pages (TED talks require a Creative Commons attribution caption) |
Embed social media content from Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or Pinterest, unless there is a direct pedagogical need & purpose |