Sacramento, CA asked in Copyright, Intellectual Property and Trademark for California

Q: Could I publish a book about vocal experts' opinions on a topic, taken from interviews/info online, without permission?

Could a couple of their names be featured in the book title? Could I write each chapter focusing on one public figure scientist, explaining their perspective on the topic as researched through free material found online? Would a disclaimer at the beginning of the book saying these scientists haven't been contacted and the information is just a synthesis from the resources listed in the bibliography help me? Is this project feasible? Thanks so much for any of your help.

2 Lawyer Answers

A: In the absence of careful legal planning, this book could run into a number of legal problems. A disclaimer is a good way to avoid presenting a misleading picture. However, disclaimers and attributions in bibliographies do not avoid copyright problems. There are issues of derivative works and fair use.

The project seems to be feasible based on the limited facts above. However, it would need to be written in a way that accounts for copyright issues.

Tim Akpinar and Marcos Garciaacosta agree with this answer

1 user found this answer helpful

A: you are skating close to the edge.

consult with an attorney to understand all your risks.

you should also consult an insurance agency for copyright and IP infringement coverage

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