Why It's Best to Keep Your Content Original

In the world of social media, it's pretty common to see a person (and even the biggest of brands) repost, share, regram, or retweet content. That's kind of the point, right? Well... mostly.

It can feel like a pat on the back when you see your friends, family members, and strangers of the net sharing your stuff. But if these virtual evangelists are not giving credit where credit is due, some creators can get downright aggravated, and even seek legal action against those snagging and sharing their content. At Socially Jen and Co. we are a lot of things, but we are NOT lawyers, so this blog is in no way shape or form intended to be used as legal advice, but rather commentary on just how tricky navigating the world of the retweet can be.

We've all seen and shared the same classic memes, we've all chuckled at the YouTube videos and just had to show the hilarity to our friends. Staying a part of the social conversation can mean you're keeping up with the latest viral content. But have you ever considered the difference between sharing and "stealing?" Reposting and copyright infringement? We're no legal experts, but through all of our research and keeping our ear to the ground for social media news, we've heard the horror stories and there's always one common denominator we can take away: the safest content to share is original content. That means keeping a close eye out for unintended copyright infringement including pictures that contain products you may not have the right to post (like that soda in the background or the music on your family slide show!)

When in doubt: create your own. As if we couldn't sing their praises enough, this is where easy-to-use apps like Canva can really come in handy. If you're not sure about sharing a meme or graphic - make your own! Try Canva to create stuff with your own original images, or images they've deemed free for your use. Your fans will love seeing your creative side, and the world can always use more unique content!

Of course, there can be a variety of factors that can come into play when determining if it's "okay" to share content. For instance, if you're looking to post on behalf of a business, an individual, or for educational purposes, and even what platform you're using. If you have any doubt about what's best to share for your next campaign, stay out of hot water check with a legal pro.