What do App Developers, Artists & Graphic Designers, Bloggers & Journalists, Clothing Designers, Entrepreneurs, E-commerce Business People & Startups, Filmmakers & YouTube creators, Game Developers, Internet users & Smartphone users, Makers, Musicians, Non-Profits, Photographers, Scholars, Researchers, and Writers and Publishers all have in common? The answer: legal rights unique to the content that they create. Each of them are creators and protecting those creations is not easy in the digital world. That’s why we helped create the New Media Rights project about 10 years ago.
Art Neill is the creator and director of an independently funded non-profit program of California Western School of Law (a 501c3 non-profit) that provides one-to-one legal services to creators, entrepreneurs and internet users whose projects require specialized internet, intellectual property, privacy, media, and communications law expertise. This San Diego hidden gem is known for its work providing preventative and transactional services on hundreds of matters every year. Importantly, it is also known for its work against content bullying. In addition to direct, one-to-one legal services, New Media Rights turns what it learns into hundreds of freely available video and written legal education guides for creators and consumers.
Even though it is based in San Diego, it is available to creators and artists all over the world. It has free written and video guides that address:
- Copyright Law and Fair Use
- Creative Commons and Open Licenses
- Finding Free Legal Content Creators can Use
- Understanding the Digital Millenium Copyright Act
- Legal Traps and Tips for Content Creators and Game Developers
- Shooting and Streaming Video
- Creating and Sharing Online Content
- Using and Protecting Smart Phones
Most recently NMR created an incredibly useful book called Don’t Panic. It will prepare you for legal issues you’ll encounter as a creator or entrepreneur. Whether you are a startup, filmmaker, musician, author, or other creator, this book will help you understand what you need to know, and how to avoid getting sued. The book covers a range of legal situations that may arise, from the inception of your business, or the creation of your work, to that dreaded moment (that hopefully doesn’t happen) you get a nasty lawyer letter for the first time. While this book is not a substitute for legal advice, it can serve as a valuable guide to preventing and resolving legal issues.
Don’t Panic is organized to help you quickly jump to specific information that will help you through that stage of your work. There are short, straight to the point summaries throughout called “The Bottom Line” providing the essentials you need to know. You’ll learn how to form your business, protect your intellectual property, understand E&O insurance, and avoid problems when launching an App or internet-based service. Often, you can take a few simple steps upfront that will protect your business or creative works, and ultimately save time and money down the road.
You can buy the book for $15 at Amazon or use code “EHCBPZHD” at this link to buy it directly for $12. Or you can contact NMR directly at this page. They are incredibly nice and helpful people and probably the best friend that any entrepreneurial content creator will ever have.