Designers and copyright

The protection of intellectual property rights is critical to our work, to software companies, and to designers everywhere. Nothing's more annoying than to see someone using your creation without permission or mimicking your style. We all know that illegal downloading of software occurs but it is a crime punishable by law and also has a negative impact on the entire industry. So what can be done to protect your work and ensure you don't accidentally subject yourself to IP infringement?

The Gowers Report last year brought some important updates to copyright laws and we are frequently asked by illustrators and designers how to best retain copyright on their work. Even when you're taking photos for background and reference, you should be wary of what actually gets used in your creations.

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The Creative Bloq team is made up of a group of design fans, and has changed and evolved since Creative Bloq began back in 2012. The current website team consists of eight full-time members of staff: Editor Georgia Coggan, Deputy Editor Rosie Hilder, Ecommerce Editor Beren Neale, Senior News Editor Daniel Piper, Editor, Digital Art and 3D Ian Dean, Tech Reviews Editor Erlingur Einarsson and Ecommerce Writer Beth Nicholls and Staff Writer Natalie Fear, as well as a roster of freelancers from around the world. The 3D World and ImagineFX magazine teams also pitch in, ensuring that content from 3D World and ImagineFX is represented on Creative Bloq.