Intellectual Property
Watermarks and Symbols
When you use someone else's image, video or brand, symbols and watermarks give you clues about who owns it and whether you are allowed to use it.
Symbols and what they mean
| Symbol | Meaning | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| © | Copyright | The work is protected by copyright, so the creator controls copying. |
| CC | Creative Commons | The work is shared under a Creative Commons licence, so check that licence before you use it. |
| TM | Trademark | The sign is being used as a trademark to identify a brand. |
| ® | Registered trademark | The trademark has been officially registered. |
For example, a photo of a mountain might carry © in its corner. A diagram on a school wiki might show CC. A bakery's logo could have TM beside it, while a well-known soft drink logo might carry ®.
Watermarks
A watermark is a mark laid over an image or video, such as a logo or the word PREVIEW. It is often a sign that the work is licensed but the fee has not yet been paid, so the copy you are looking at is only a taster. Pay for the licence and you are usually sent the clean version, with no mark on it.
Some people still copy watermarked work illegally, for example by cropping the mark off the edge or taking a screenshot. A watermark does not make an image free or safe to use; it is usually a reminder that permission and payment are still outstanding.
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OCR Creative iMedia · Intellectual Property