Gifs from Giphy Download As Still Pictures 13 Sep Is That Even Legal? Animated Gifs and Copyright Law
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gifs from giphy download as still pictures 13 Sep Is that even legal? Animated GIFs and copyright law. Bloggers and meme-fanatics alike will admit that very few things can convey emotions, thoughts, and processes like animated GIFs. With 100 million daily users on GIF database and search engine, Giphy, and one billion GIFs sent on the platform every day, it’s needless to say that the internet has become obsessed with the file format. Animated GIFs and business communications. Twitter and Facebook, which have both integrated native GIF search , help GIFs spread like wildfire, and sites like Buzzfeed have built content marketing empires by using animated GIFs in their infamous listicles . GIF use has gone above and beyond social media and listicle use, however. Brands and businesses are utilizing animated GIFs to convey emotion as well. In addition, brands can use GIFs to: Make a call-to-action or click-through more eye-catching Provide a quick demonstration Display content that doesn’t require the viewer to click (compared to a video, for example) Create more interesting and engaging presentations Illustrate facts, figures, and processes in a way that is easier to understand. Animated GIFs and copyright law. The trouble with using animated GIFs for commercial purposes lies in using someone else’s original content. This usage undermines the copyright owner’s ability to control derivatives of their work, where or how their work is shared, and their right to receive proceeds. While individuals can usually make and share GIFs with little concern for repercussions, companies must be aware of copyright restrictions. There is no standing legal decision that specifically determines whether GIFs made from copyrighted material qualify as infringement. When there is a dispute over a GIF and its original creators, it all comes down to the doctrine of fair use. Whether or not a GIF can be used freely under fair use is determined by four factors : Context – is it for commercial, nonprofit, or educational purposes? Uses that aren’t tied to revenue or profits are typically the safest. Nature – is the content creative or factual? Unpublished or published? Copyright law extends the greatest protections to creative and unpublished works. (Don’t steal gifs from artists. Or Disney. No really don’t do it. Trust us.) Quantity – How big a chunk of the source material content portrayed in the GIF. A two second scene from a 90 minute movie does not use a substantial portion of the original work. Economical value – Does the GIF take away from the monetary value of the original work? It’s hard to imagine any viewer would substitute a gif for an actual movie. Generally, something is considered fair use when the original material is used for a limited and “transformative” purpose, such as commentary, criticism or parody . GIFs with famous faces. This notion of fair use becomes even more complex when a GIF features a celebrity. According to Adweek : “…the only way to post an animated GIF of a celebrity on your business page without risking legal trouble would be to get the permission of everyone featured in the clip, the copyright holder of the original recording and (just to be safe) the person who actually made the GIF.” In absence of such permissions, content sharers always risk receiving a cease and desist order. Individual celebrities also have the option to invoke so-called “right of publicity” laws that allow public figures to control how their image is used, according to Fortune ‘s Jeff John Roberts . Despite the absence of any clear legal decision on this matter, social media networks have already adopted measures to protect themselves. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DCMA) ensures that social media sites who host GIFs are not held responsible as long as they have a system to report and remove content accused of copyright infringement. For you, this means that the DCMA will hold you liable for sharing copyrighted GIFs, rather than the platform on which you shared it. Even if you include attribution or a link back to the creator’s website, you can still be held liable for copyright infringement. Modicum Original GIF. Guidelines for GIFs and fair use. So you have the background, but you’re still wondering what this means for brands looking to use GIFs as part of their content strategy . 5 Ways To Make An Animated GIF (Without Photoshop!) Who said GIFs are just for fun? They’re incredibly useful for businesses and marketers. Aside from social media, companies are incorporating GIFs in paid advertising campaigns on social media platforms, in customer support articles on their website, on landing pages and microsites, and in email marketing campaigns. Unlike static photos or videos, GIFs are quick and easy to make , and they require no additional software or plugins. Better yet, GIFs can significantly improve the user experience on your blog or website. And, unlike a video, GIFs generally have small file sizes, allowing them to load faster and with better quality. They can also reduce user friction . Think about it: instead of clicking on an embedded video tutorial on how to use a feature, you can share a series of short GIFs that’ll educate a viewer in half the time. If you’re interested in incorporating GIFs into your marketing toolkit but don’t have any experience with Photoshop, I’ll show you how to use five free tools to create original GIFs. Need help creating graphics that will convert visitors into customers? Contact us! Ladder can help you reach your sales goals with tech-powered marketing services. Need help creating graphics that will convert visitors into customers? Contact us! Ladder can help you reach your sales goals with tech-powered marketing services. How to create a GIF without photoshop. 1. GIPHY’s GIF Maker. GIPHY, the company with the world’s largest library of animated GIFs, now offers a GIF Maker that is free and so much fun to use. GIF Maker allows you to create animated GIFs from video files, YouTube links, existing GIFs, and even still photos. Here’s How It Works: Drag and drop a video file, or enter a video URL from YouTube, Vimeo, or another GIPHY page. You can also upload a series of photos to create an animated photo slideshow. Once you’ve uploaded your file, you’ll be taken to a screen where you can begin editing your GIF. Next, trim your video to a duration of about 2-6 seconds. This will ensure that your file size is small enough to load quickly on social media and blogging platforms. If you’d like, you can add a caption, stickers, or drawings to your GIF. Once you’re happy with your GIF, upload it, and add a couple of tags to make it easier for other people to find. And voila! You’ve made your GIF! You can now save it and upload it to your website or blog. What I Like About GIPHY’s GIF Maker. It’s easy to use and navigate Instructions on how to edit the length of your GIF is clear. There are two separate bars for start time and GIF duration. The customizable features (i.e. Animated captions, stickers, etc.) are robust and contemporary. Allows you to create GIFs from several different sources, including static images. What I Don’t Like About GIPHY’s GIF Maker. GIPHY’s GIF Maker doesn’t give you the option of making your GIFs private. Keep that in mind if you create GIFs of your colleagues or your product. As a free tool, it’s simple to use and has the exact feature I’m looking for. GIPHY’s GIF Maker is definitely a tool I’ll highly recommend. Need help creating graphics that will convert visitors into customers? Contact us! Ladder can help you reach your sales goals with tech-powered marketing services. 2. GIFs.com. Another super-simple tool is GIFs.com, an online tool that turns YouTube videos, Vine videos, and Instagram videos into editable GIFs. Note that while you can create GIFs for free on this platform, you’ll have to become a paying subscriber in order to access some features. With that being said, they do offer some options that you won’t find anywhere else, like Instant Effects and themed stickers. Here’s How It Works: Copy and paste a link to a short video you’d like to turn into a GIF. On the timeline at the bottom of your screen, indicate your GIF’s start and end time, as well as length. Then, being customizing your GIF with their selection of themed stickers, Instant Effects, and customizable fonts for captions. When you’re done, add a name to your GIF, some tags to make it easily searchable, and you’re done! What I Like About GIF.com. GIF.com is super easy to use. It took me less than 5 minutes to create a GIF. Offers standard fonts, like Arial, for GIF captions. Offers advanced editing options, like the ability to change the opacity of a sticker. What I Don’t Like About GIF.com. GIF.com don’t offer some key features if you’re a free user. For instance, you can’t remove their watermark from your GIF, you can’t resize or compress the file, and you can’t download the original file to your desktop computer unless you are a paying subscriber. Editing a GIF’s length and duration isn’t very clear. Overall, while I did enjoy GIF.com’s Instant Effects and sticker options, I wouldn’t recommend becoming a paid subscriber for features you can find for free on GIPHY’s GIF Maker and other online tools.