http://www.nypost.com/news/regionaln...tim_arango.htm

You know, I have always wondered about this - how youtube, video.google, and
the rest were getting away with enabling breaking copyright laws. I have
looked at quite a few on line videos and dive videos and there are Pirates
of the Caribbean movie background music, commercially produced new age and
love song music, television theme music, and so on. Not to mention, movie
and television clips.

Copyright laws are easy, if you don't own the rights to to a song, video, or
film, you have to get permission to show it. If you don't or can't get
permission and put it out there on the web, you could be opening up yourself
to a lawsuit.

When I started posting videos to Google video, they had people screening the
videos for copyright infringement. I guess so many people were posting that
they backed off to that if someone complains, they will take the video down.

My first video, I thought some commercially produced music (Vangelis) would
be perfect for my video and contacted EMI Music Publishing for permission to
use it. They sent me a one word email, "NO". So that was that.

Now the video and pictures you shoot are yours and you can do what you want
with them (though you may have to get people or location releases). But, if
you don't produce the music, well, you just need to hope that the producer
or title holder doesn't come after you.

I know it is stifling creativity, but it is what it is.