PrWeb Articles

are we allowed to publish them?

[blue_eagle]

Hi,

I was wondering if people are allowed to copy and publish articles from prweb.

I have seen some sites doing this but i am not quiet sure if this is permitted.

I would appreciate any ideas regarding this issue.

Thanks..

[buckworks]

From the PR Web site:

"Limited copyright is granted for you to use and/or republish any of the press releases on this site for any legitimate media purpose as long as you reference PR Web as the source.  Using the press releases from the PR Web network of sites on other sites that offer competing services to those offered by PR Web, including but not limited to press release distribution, is expressly prohibited under the terms of this copyright."

To me that says that as long as you do it in the manner they specify, you may indeed reprint press releases from PR Web.

[blue_eagle]

Thanks :)

[rogerd]

When in doubt, blue_eagle, seek permission directly from the source. That's the only sure way to protect yourself.

[Dynamoo]

Of course it all depends on the copyright ownership of the press releases themselves.. I know from experience that a *small* number of press releases on PRWeb are actually unlawfully copied from other sources.

Example - company A makes a news release on a product they have started to ship. Company B also sells the same product, so decided to copy and paste Company A's product and submit it to PRWeb, which they accept in good faith.

If you then pick up the press release distibuted by PRWeb and re-use it, then you're actually violating the intellectual property of Company A, who might come knocking at your door with a C&D notice.

The same is true of any copy where it gets "passed down". For that reason, it's usually better to check with the originating source, and also include a disclaimer on your site to say that any copy has been used in good faith and will be removed at the request of the copyright holder if necessary.

[Harry]

Most companies wish that their press releases will be copied and taken as is by as many outlets as possible. That's the purpose of the press release - a controled message to promote yourself. I know there are legal blah blah blah but any company who comes after you for copying and posting their press release is brain dead.

[rogerd]

Even if the issuing company doesn't care, it's possible that the news release publisher might feel their content was being ripped off if one site copied too much of it. And the issuing firm might object if the page was somehow being used to promote their competition (e.g., Adwords or links to pages promoting a competing product).