To ask how I know if website content is open source or copyrighted?

[Letgoofitall]

A client wants me to use some content that comes directly from a website. I think this presents a copyright issue. She says it's open source. How do I know by looking at the website if she's right?

You don't.

Most web sites are copyrighted, so the only way to ensure is to ask the web master at original source.

If the material you are interested in is on a web site but doesn't credit another source, that implies it is original content. I'd be very wary coping anything without specific permission.

Yu could use it but credit the source company.

It does present a copyright issue. But I'm more curious about what the client wants you to use this info for, and why you're being used as the copy-and-paste function?

It's irrelevant what it's for - I'm not doing it, I'm just trying to ensure the facts before I reply.

If you're lucky, things might be under a creative commons licence, but this will always be stated - look in footers or around the content you want to use (images?) for something like CC-BY or CC-BY-SA. If there's no mention of licencing, I'd assume it's copyrighted, and if it's CC-BY-NC you can't use it for a commercial purpose.

I'd be mildly surprised to find a website using CC licences except in academic or possibly artistic circles, though.

I looked earlier, no CC

It's rare that text on a website wouldn't be protected by copyright. Usually you have to draw key information from a few different sites and rewrite it yourself (or have the client do it) to create your own version.

Open source does not mean public domain or out of copyright. Website content is automatically copyrighted to the creator upon its creation. No, you cannot use it.

Many websites have a 'Terms of use" page or "Website Ts&Cs" or similar. If there is nothing mentioning copyright, then the content is still protected by copyright and you would need to assume that permission must be asked before using.

If it’s open source it will state so.

If it doesn’t state so you must assume it’s copyrighted.

Thanks all. Yes, agreed. I wouldn't have proceeded but I just wanted to be sure of my position.

Scroll to the very bottom of the page. It will typically say something like © 2024 Mumsnet Ltd.

But even if it doesn't, you can't assume it's free to use because copyright is automatic. Unless there's something to the contrary - a statement saying "Feel free to reuse this content" or a creative commons licence (and even that will come with terms) - assume it's copyrighted.

https://techjury.net/blog/is-web-scraping-legal/

If your client is asking you to scrape

100%. But it's a good first step to check the actual copyright mark on the website. It is there in most cases.

It very much depends on how you use it. Even if copyrighted, there are still "fair use" considerations. Copying a couple of paragraphs of an article, crediting where it came from is likely to fall under fair use. Not crediting the same paragraphs, less so. Using most of a website, even if credited is unlikely to be fair and could get you in trouble. Copyright is complicated.