Published on facebook

[Ankari]

Someone I know who writes poetry is concerned that whatever he posts on FB is not protected under copyright. The fear is that posts on FB are considered "status updates" or general comments. For all of you poets out there, do you know if your poetry is protected by copyright law if you post it on FB?

 

[Steerpike]

It is automatically protected by Copyright as soon as he writes it down (at least in the U.S.). What he is probably doing by publishing it on Facebook, however, is granting Facebook a non-exclusive license to publish the work. You effectively lose control of anything published online, so he should keep that in mind.

 

[Ankari]

Thanks Steer!

 

[robertbevan]

steerpike, you are a lovely human being.

 

[Devor]

If you post it on Facebook, you can no longer sell your poetry at many paying markets because you can no longer give them exclusive publishing rights. That's what it comes down to.