Copyrights do expire eventually, and when this happens a work goes into the public domain and may be freely copied. One common misconception is that the copyrights in works produced for payment are owned by the payor. Whether or not this is true depends on whether they qualify as so-called works made for hire . One way to address this problem is for those who employ independent contractors to produce text, graphics or video clips for website posting to insist that the author execute an assignment of the copyrights in the work. In addition, the website operator can review the material before posting to ensure that it does not include material known to be copied from another copyrighted work.
Some works are in the public domain, for example, many government publications and clip art.
Ask before you post. A Trademark or Service mark is generally a term or symbol used to identify the source of goods or services. Registration with the Patent and Trademark Office provides nationwide priority of rights as well as advantages in litigation. Almost all countries also permit national registration of trademarks. Use of an internet domain name as an address for a website does not necessarily constitute trademark usage or give rise to common law trademark rights in the United States.