Copyright

Most of the text, graphics, and other information you'll find on the Internet is copyrighted. The person or company that created that work (whether it's a picture, book, song or home page) owns it and has the exclusive right to reproduce and distribute it.

Copying someone's copyrighted information or content without permission is not allowed and can result in your being sued. Unless it says otherwise, any content probably is copyrighted. The moment someone creates an original picture, image, writing, piece of music, home page, or other material, it is copyrighted automatically.

Copyright extends to pictures, graphics, e-mail messages, text files, sound files, computer programs, Web pages and database files. Don't assume that something isn't copyrighted if there isn't a copyright notice -- one isn't required.

You shouldn't assume material is available for your re-use unless it is specifically labeled as being in the "public domain."