This document establishes Plei's standards for using, sharing, and creating content that may be subject to copyright. Violations expose the company to legal liability and can result in disciplinary action up to and including termination.
Copyright applies automatically to original works the moment they are created, including written content, images and graphic design, photographs, music and audio, video, software code, logos and brand assets, social posts, data compilations, and presentations. Assume everything is copyrighted unless you can verify otherwise.
Generally not copyrightable (though other protections may apply): raw facts and data, titles, names, slogans and short phrases, ideas/concepts/methods (the expression is protected, not the idea itself), public-domain works, and U.S. government publications.
| Action | Rule |
|---|---|
| Use an image from Google Images | Not permitted |
| Screenshot from a website | Not permitted without a license |
| Paid stock (Getty, Shutterstock, etc.) | Permitted within license terms |
| Photo Plei owns or commissioned | Permitted |
| Creative Commons images | Permitted, verify license type and attribution |
| AI-generated images (Midjourney, DALL·E) | Permitted, review platform terms before commercial use |
Approved sources: Unsplash, Pexels, Pixabay (license-verified), licensed stock Plei subscribes to, original or commissioned Plei photography.
Fair use is a legal defense, not blanket permission. Courts weigh purpose (commercial vs educational), nature (factual vs creative), amount used, and market impact. Fair use does not cover using a competitor's copy "for inspiration," reproducing an image because it's cropped, using licensed music because it's "just a few seconds," or sharing a paywalled article in full internally. If you're asking whether something counts as fair use, escalate before using.
Work made for hire: any original work created by employees in the scope of their employment belongs to Plei, Inc., not the individual. This covers marketing copy and assets, software and internal systems, content and posts, and documentation. Contractors must have IP assignment confirmed in their agreement; if a contract lacks this clause, flag it to Operations.
AI-generated content can be used, but review each platform's commercial-use terms, use judgment on commercial applications, and never input proprietary Plei data, confidential contracts, or personal employee/user information into public AI tools without authorization.
If Plei receives a copyright claim, DMCA notice, or cease-and-desist: do not respond directly, forward immediately to legal; preserve records and do not delete or alter the flagged content until legal reviews; document the source and who authorized use; and do not admit liability in any communication.
Infringement, even unintentional, can bring statutory damages up to $150K per work (willful), legal fees and settlements, reputational damage, and platform bans. Internally, violations may result in a written warning, required retraining, or termination depending on severity and intent.
| Situation | Action |
|---|---|
| Want to use an image found online | Verify license, use approved source |
| Want to quote from an article | Paraphrase + cite; quote sparingly |
| Want to use music in a video | Use royalty-free source only |
| Received a copyright complaint | Forward to COO + legal immediately |
| Unsure if use is permitted | Stop, escalate before proceeding |
| Using open-source code | Check license type, engineering review |
| Creating content at Plei | Plei owns it, covered under employment |