Recently, famous recording artist and songwriter Lizzo came under fire for using a 2017 tweet by Mina Lioness in her #1 Billboard Top 100 single “Truth Hurts.” Lizzo admitted that Mina Lioness’ 2017 tweet, referencing DNA testing, inspired her. Lizzo conceded and credited the writer Mina Lioness in October 2019. Today, Mina Lioness is a songwriter with a record-breaking, chart-topping hit song.

For now, this resolution highlights the importance of crediting original creators in the music industry.

However, with intellectual property consistently being promoted on social media websites, protecting valuable content can be a challenging yet necessary task.

Furthermore, copyrighting artistic content extends beyond music.

For instance, original content on your WordPress website or anywhere online may not automatically enjoy copyright protection.

Updated in March 2019, Circular 66, Copyright Registration of Websites and Website Content, states that there are specific circumstances under which website content can be eligible for copyright registration.

“The Copyright Act does not explicitly recognize websites as a type of copyrightable subject matter.”

Given this, what steps can a website owner take to protect their original digital content?

Circular 66 explains that to protect original website content, owners must register their work by submitting a copy of the content, similar to submitting a manuscript for copyright registration.

“The deposit requirements for websites and website content are generally the same as for any other work. If the work is unpublished or if it has been published solely online, you must submit a complete copy of the work. For example, if you want to register an entire website, you must submit all of the pages as they actually appear on the site, regardless of volume. If you want to register an individual work that appears on the website, the deposit must depict the work in the context in which it appears on the website or web page.”

It took Mina Lioness two years to receive credit for her iconic tweet on Twitter. That’s because she had many witnesses who retweeted or liked her original content. Most website owners don’t have that reach. Without that level of support, copyright registration is the next best thing, especially since a certificate of registration is required to bring a case of infringement.

https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/18pdf/17-571_e29f.pdf

Check all the requirements on Copyright.gov.

https://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/faq-digital.html
https://www.copyright.gov/registration/other-digital-content/index.html