Copyright Protection for Australian Websites

INFORMATION SHEET G057v08 March 2009 Websites: an introduction to copyright. Provided by the Australian Copyright Council

Above is the Australian Copyright Council’s document in relation to copyright and websites, for your reference. In essence your site is protected by copyright against reuse or copying, as quoted in their document GO57v081 as follows:

• Whole websites are not protected by copyright. However, component parts of a website, such as text, artworks, logos and the underlying source code and files, may be protected.

What do I do if all or parts of my website have been copied?

Your solicitor is the best person to advise you on this situation, however in the mean time you could create an email to the owners of the website stating that the page has content which is a direct copy from your website, and make reference to the above document from the Australian Copyright Council. Your email should include a direction to them and their developer to take down all and any content/images/pages in their website immediately which has any relevant text copied directly from your website. You might like to state that you have no qualms in taking it further!

What do I do if my business name is occuring without my permission on another website?

Your solicitor is the best person to advise you on this situation, however the inclusion of your business/trading name on their website is encroaching on your business and implying that they are affiliated or representing you in some way. Inclusion of your business name in their webpage in order to gain web traffic is misrepresentation and is not a professional practice! You should contact the website owner via email - your email should include a direction to them and their developer to remove all references to your business name and take down all and any content/images/pages from their website immediately which has any relevant text copied directly from your website, and make reference to the above document from the Australian Copyright Council. You might like to state that you have no qualms in taking it further!