Fonts - are they copyrighted?

Daniel75

Daniel75

Daniel75

Associate
Joined
13 Jun 2007
Posts
162
Location
Edinburgh
Hiya,

I can't find one straight answer:-)
If I will use one of the fonts (which came with legal OS) - for commercial purposes like my bands logo - can I expect any problems? Are fonts copyrighted?

Help me to clarify this please:-)

Dan
 
Some are copyrighted individually, some are covered under trademarks or brand registration copyrights in certain groups or settings.

With regards to office, the fonts should share the same licensing as your copy, so if you're ok for using your copy of office commercially (not home and student, for example) then you should be ok, however, if in doubt, speak to someone with legal training in copyright and branding.
 
If you legally acquired the font then you normally also acquire rights to usage with it. This is true of all bundled fonts with Microsoft stuff. I do not know about other OSes. If you downloaded fonts off the internet they should have come with a file describing their legal status.
 
Mr Jack said:
If you legally acquired the font then you normally also acquire rights to usage with it. This is true of all bundled fonts with Microsoft stuff. I do not know about other OSes. If you downloaded fonts off the internet they should have come with a file describing their legal status.
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^ This.

There are lots of sites that have thousands of free fonts, they even make similar versions of copyrighted fonts so you shouldn't ever have to pay for fonts really.
 
To be fair, this discussion is all very well; but is anyone really going to see your band and think "Dude, wtf? I hold the intellectual property to that font and they didn't pay me any royalties!!!11!"? :p

But yeah, +1 for using free fonts. Though, why incorporate fonts into programs like Office and Publisher if you're not licensed to use them?
 
Rainmaker said:
To be fair, this discussion is all very well; but is anyone really going to see your band and think "Dude, wtf? I hold the intellectual property to that font and they didn't pay me any royalties!!!11!"? :p
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True:-) Maybe I'm paranoid... It's the world of small print we're all living in after all :)

I'll stick to free fonts:)
 
When you purchase a font you basically purchase the rights to use them for whichever purpose. Yes, fonts are generally quite expensive - good ones, anyway. You'll probably never get into any legal or copyright issues when using them though. Worst case scenario, you simply give proof of purchase or show that the fonts have came with your operating system or software.

You'll never have any issues though, don't worry.
 
Individual characters may be subject to copyright, and, as a collection, a typeface should be subject to copyright. Often this will be backed up by a registered design mark over the font (Mars have the Marsbar font as a design mark for example).

Any license could be limited in any number of different ways. Read your license agreement to find out the specifics for that font.
 
Rainmaker said:
To be fair, this discussion is all very well; but is anyone really going to see your band and think "Dude, wtf? I hold the intellectual property to that font and they didn't pay me any royalties!!!11!"? :p

But yeah, +1 for using free fonts. Though, why incorporate fonts into programs like Office and Publisher if you're not licensed to use them?
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Actually yes. A true typographer that creates typefaces for a living will instantly recognise their own work and would probably like to know if its being used legally or not. It takes a lot of time, skill and knowledge to do it properly and they won't be too happy if someone steals it.

As has been said though, the stuff bundled in with Office etc. will be fine to use assuming you have licensed the program properly.
 
At work, one of the company's clients has all their signs made with a copyrighted font to suit their corporate branding.

They get royally stiffed each time they need a new sign - and they have a *lot* of signs.
 
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