In What Ways Are Blogs Copyright Material?
Presenting the Law and Its Implications
Blogs are considered copyright material under international and national law because they typically meet the two fundamental legal requirements for copyright protection: originality and fixation.
📜 Legal Basis for Copyright Protection
Under the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (adopted by 181 countries, including the UK and the Philippines), copyright arises automatically when a work is:
Original – It must be the result of the author’s own intellectual effort, not copied from another source. Fixed in a tangible medium – It must exist in a perceptible form (e.g., published online, saved on a hard drive, printed, etc.).These principles are reflected in the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, as well as in the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976.
A blog post is typically:
A literary work, if it consists of original writing (essays, reflections, opinion pieces, etc.). A multimedia work, if it includes images, audio, or video created by the blogger.Thus, blog content is protected from the moment it is written and published, without the need for registration.
✅ What Copyright Protects in a Blog
Original text – All unique wording, structure, and expression. Original images, photographs, and graphics created by the blogger. Custom page layout and website design, to the extent they reflect creative effort (may overlap with design rights). Titles of blog posts may not be protected on their own, but distinctive branding may be covered by trademark law.🧾 Registration (Optional, But Useful)
In countries like the U.S., registration with the Copyright Office strengthens legal rights: Enables the author to sue for infringement. Allows the recovery of statutory damages and legal fees. In the UK and most Berne Convention countries, registration is not required—the work