Am I allowed to quote copyrighted texts on my website?
January 18, 2022 | 30,00 EUR | answered by Wanda Hartmann
Dear Mr. Ullmann,
I run a website where I regularly report on current topics in the field of technology and the internet. In my posts, I often quote text passages from other online sources that are relevant to my articles. However, these are copyrighted texts.
I am concerned about whether I am allowed to quote these texts without violating copyright laws. I do not want to take any legal risks, but at the same time, I want to provide my readers with well-founded information.
Therefore, my question to you as an expert in internet and computer law is: Am I allowed to quote copyrighted texts on my website? Are there any specific rules or guidelines I need to follow to avoid copyright infringement?
I would appreciate it if you could provide me with possible solutions or recommendations on how I can ensure that I am legally on the safe side when quoting copyrighted texts on my website.
Thank you in advance for your help.
Best regards,
Wilhelm Ullmann
Dear Mr. Ullmann,
Thank you for your question regarding citing copyrighted texts on your website. It is very important to be aware of the legal aspects when quoting text passages from other online sources in order to avoid copyright infringement.
In general, citing texts on your website is allowed as long as you adhere to the applicable copyright regulations. This means that you may use text passages from other sources as long as you mark them as quotes and clearly indicate the source. The right to quote allows the use of text excerpts to support criticism, analysis, or reporting. However, you should be careful that the quoted texts do not constitute the main content of your own contribution and that you only quote as much as is necessary for your purpose.
It is also important to note that not all texts can be quoted without restrictions. Some texts are subject to special license terms or are explicitly marked as non-citable. In such cases, you should resort to alternatives, such as summarizing the content in your own words.
To ensure that you are legally on the safe side when citing copyrighted texts on your website, I recommend following the following guidelines:
1. Clearly mark all quotes as such and provide the correct source.
2. Use only as much text as necessary and avoid copying the original text.
3. Take into account any license terms or restrictions that apply to the text being used.
4. If you are unsure whether you are allowed to quote a text, it is better to use an alternative source in case of doubt.
I hope that this information helps you and supports you in citing copyrighted texts legally on your website. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact me.
Best regards,
Wanda Hartmann
Lawyer specialized in Internet and Computer Law
