Are famous quotes copyrighted?

According to US copyright law, the legal rights to a quote belong by default to its author (or speaker). Quotes are considered intellectual property, which is protected under the law.
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How do I find out if a quote is copyrighted?

Go to the official website of the United States Copyright Office to use its online "Public Catalog Search" for works copyrighted after 1978. Use the "Keyword" search field for phrases in copyright records. Surround the phrase with double quotation marks to search for the precise phrase.
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Can you put famous quotes on shirts?

But for a safe answer: you can print anything on a t-shirt that is under public domain without infringing copyright laws.
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Can I use a celebrity quote on my website?

YES. You can legally use quotes in small business that are in the public domain. Generally, quotes said before 1923 are in public domain because the protection on them is now expired.
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Can I use famous quotes on my Instagram?

If you are not the original author of a quote, one of two things must be true to use it freely on social media.
  • You have written permission from the author; or.
  • The quote is no longer owned and considered public domain.
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How To Find Quotes Free For Commercial Use



Can I put a quote on a shirt and sell it?

Quotes are considered intellectual property, which is protected under the law. This means that if you're not a quote's original author and you want to SELL something with the quote on it, one of two things must be true: 1. You have the author's written permission to use their words on your work.
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How many words can you quote without permission?

The American Psychological Association allows authors to cite 400 words in single- text extracts, or 800 words in a series of text extracts, without permission (American Psychological Association, 2010).
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Can you legally use quotes?

Quotes can be trademarked if they're recognisable and mention famous characters. Everyone has the copyright to anything they write down, but it won't be protected if the sentence is short or generic. Also, most people won't bother pursuing you for using it on a T-shirt as long as it is properly attributed.
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Are JFK quotes copyrighted?

The text of speeches made and written down before 1923 are definitely in the public domain in the United States.
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Are Shakespeare quotes copyrighted?

Shakespeare works are in the domain of the public. They are there for all of us to use, share, enjoy, build upon, be inspired by, and perform.
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Can I put a picture of a celebrity on a shirt and sell it?

The short answer is a big NO. Unless you have the authorization, agreement, and contract with rights and limitations in doing so from the celebrity/ his/her management/agent, then you have no legal right to use and especially print and make sales off of a celebrity's image.
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How do you quote a famous quote?

Citing a quote within a quote is as simple as 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.
  1. List the original author's last name.
  2. Include the date of publication of the original.
  3. Add 'as cited in' then the name of the work.
  4. Follow with the publishing date of the cited work.
  5. List the page the information can be found on.
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What quotes are in the public domain?

And there are a lot of great public domain quotes to choose from. “A penny saved is a penny earned,” is public domain. Ben Franklin wrote that back in the 1700s. “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet,” is from Shakespeare's “Romeo and Juliet,” likewise public domain.
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Are quotes covered by copyright?

9.9 However, in Australian copyright law, quotation is not a term of art. The Copyright Act does not provide a stand-alone exception for quotation. Rather, other concepts are used to govern whether a quotation infringes copyright.
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Are Walt Disney quotes copyrighted?

The trademark prevents the saying from being used on clothing, hats, or footgear resembling Disney's The Lion King. The phrase itself can continue to be used in conversation or elsewhere, as long as the words aren't being used on something that looks like a Disney knock-off.
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What phrases are copyrighted?

'Hakuna Matata' and other unlikely trademarked phrases
  • 'That's hot'
  • 'Things fall apart'
  • 'You cannot be serious'
  • 'This sick beat'
  • 'I pity the fool'
  • 'You're fired'
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Are public speeches fair use?

Speeches, if written beforehand (in tangible form), are protected as any other protected work and usually falls under the purview of 'literary' work. Performance of the work generally follows through the same as an exclusive right towards the same.
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Is JFK public domain?

As a work of the U.S. federal government, it is in the public domain in the United States.
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What was George Washington's famous quote?

“It is better to offer no excuse than a bad one.” “It is better to be alone than in bad company.” “If freedom of speech is taken away, then dumb and silent we may be led, like sheep to the slaughter.”
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Can I use famous quotes in my book?

If you're seeking permission to quote from a book, look on the copyright page for the rights holder; it's usually the author. However, assuming the book is currently in print and on sale, normally you contact the publisher for permission. You can also try contacting the author or the author's literary agent or estate.
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Can I use quotes from the Internet?

If a quote was first published before 1923, then most likely its copyright has expired and the quote has fallen into the “public domain.” You may use it without getting permission.
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Is it OK to quote someone without permission?

To quote books or other works published before 1923. For news stories or scientific studies. Shorter quotes, references and paraphrasing is usually ok without permission. Copying large amounts of a story or study, however, may require permission from the writer or publisher.
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What are the 4 fair use exceptions to copyright?

Since copyright law favors encouraging scholarship, research, education, and commentary, a judge is more likely to make a determination of fair use if the defendant's use is noncommercial, educational, scientific, or historical.
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Can I publish a book of quotes?

According to federal law, quotes are protected as intellectual property. According to this rule, people who do not own the original quote and you would like something else with it to sell without saying so must be sure it's true.
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Can I use a quote from another article?

Citing a source that you found in another source is known as using a secondary source. You should always try to read and cite the original work (the primary source). If it is not possible to do this, you have to cite the original as contained in the secondary source.
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