Why you cannot freely use designs you find online

In a lot of recent copyright cases, (Rachael’s & her peers) the most common reason for infringement that we’ve heard is that they “thought the design was free to use since it was online”. Most online content is protected, particularly artworks, as our friends at Ant-Copying in Design explain:

“Thinking you can use anything you find online in your surface pattern designs? Think again.

Most online content is protected by copyright, even if there’s no notice. For surface pattern designers, understanding the difference between publicly accessible and public domain is essential to avoid infringement and protect your creative business.

Stay informed, design responsibly, and safeguard your work.

See how ACID can help at www.acid.uk.com”

You can read all about Rachael’s recent case of 74 copycats for her original & hand-drawn 1970s Floral design on Substack.