It’s simpler than ever in the modern digital era to disseminate and replicate creative works without the author’s consent. In order to prevent unauthorized use, several authors have started watermarking their work. But does copyright protection include a watermark?
No, a watermark does not constitute copyright protection, to give the quick response. A watermark can be used to identify the original creator of a piece of creative work, but it cannot be used to prevent infringement. The work must be registered with the copyright office in order to be protected legally.
Nevertheless, a watermark can still be an effective technique for preventing improper usage of a creative work. Creators can deter unauthorized use of their works by adding a recognizable watermark to them. A watermark can also serve as ownership proof in the event of a legal issue.
The guidelines for logos are a little more intricate. In general, it is possible to charge someone with trademark infringement for using a logo that is identical to another company’s logo. However, there is no predetermined threshold at which a logo must be altered to avoid violating copyright.
The most important question is whether or not the new logo will lead to confusion with the original logo. It can be considered infringement if the new logo is so close to the original that customers might mistake it for the latter. On the other hand, it is probably permissible if the new logo is distinctive enough to avoid confusion.
A watermark can still be a helpful tool for creators wishing to safeguard their work even when it does not count as copyright protection. To minimize misunderstanding with other logos, it’s important to design something distinctively different for logos. Always get legal advice if you have any doubts about the legality of your logo or other creative work.