font use question!

[lila2002]

I am throwing together some things for sharing but was wondering if i can share word art wich i made using a free font?

what is the TOU on these so to speak?

[angelwithin]

hi lila

word art sharing from a font is usually fine, it the sharing of the complete font that normally has a copyright.

best to read the terms and conditions when you download a font but normally if you share words made from the font and not the complete font is absolutely fine, you could alway give a creadit if you have the author of the fonts name

fiona x

[Marion]

Hi lila, all this came up a few months ago, so Jazz wrote and found all this out. Hope this is helpful


Quoting:

Since all this discussion has come about reguarding fonts I went straight to the top to clear this up for myself and here is the reply I recieved from the US Gov Copyright office..
MY LETTER TO THEM
I downloaded some free fonts from a site on the internet and I
used some to make some word art for scrapbook layouts..not to sell..just for
my personal use..I did share the word art with others in my scrapbook
forum..when I did someone said that it was not legal to use the fonts in
this manner. I did not post any credit for where I got the fonts as I might
use 4 or 5 different fonts in one design..and they did not all come from the
same place..it would take pages to list the credits for them all. This led to
quiet a discussion in the forum. I wrote to the site that posted the free fonts
and they told me fonts can not be copyrighted but advised me to contact your
office for further information. As I did post the word art in the forum for free
download I do not know what they might be used for by those who might
get them..for example in some scrapbook design that might be sold..
However I did give credit if I used a poem or quote that was written by
someone else..for instance..Shakespear.
For my information and for others who might have the same question, can
you please tell me if I have done something wrong or illegeal by doing this.
Thank you for your reply.

THEIR REPLY
Copyright protection is not available for lettering, fonts, typeface, or typographic ornamentation. In addition, copyright does not protect works, names, titles or short phrases. See http://www.copyright.gov/title37/202/37cfr202-1.html.

If using more substantial portions of protected text, such as a poem or lengthy quote, permission should normally be sought in order to avoid copyright infringement liability. If using work subject to copyright protection without permission, merely giving proper attribution is not a defense to copyright infringement.

However, any work originally published prior to 1923 (such as Shakespeare and the King James bible) and US government works (such as presidential speeches given while in office) are in the public domain in the US and may be freely used.

For further information on copyright duration and how to assess copyright status, please see http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ15a.html, http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ15t.html and http://www.copyright.gov/circs/circ22.html.

[a_nussbaum]

THEIR REPLY
Copyright protection is not available for lettering, fonts, typeface, or typographic ornamentation. In addition, copyright does not protect works, names, titles or short phrases. See http://www.copyright.gov/title37/202/37cfr202-1.html.

I'm Glad to hear that! could you imagine the freedom of speech that could be taken from us if that wasnt the case?