Combat with Copyright Infringement by Using DAM

CIERTO DAM

2026-03-17

Quality Assurance

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Following the copyright regulations is a general knowledge, there are extensive countermeasures to prevent infringement in the world. However, we may sometimes violate the regulations unconsciously, without briefly checking the restrictions and conditions of use. How can we prevent any kinds of copyright infringement, including both intentional or unintentional accidents? In this article, we will introduce you to how to use DAM to ensure all the digital assets are used properly and legally.

1. More about Image Copyright

1.1 What is Image Copyright

Image copyright refers to the legal rights granted to the creators of visual works, such as photographs and illustrations. Only the copyright holder has the exclusive authority to reproduce, publish, donate, sell, or rent the image.

While others may use the image after obtaining formal permission from the holder, any unauthorized use constitutes copyright infringement. This is a serious legal violation that can lead to severe penalties and legal sanctions.

Copyright is granted automatically the moment a work is created. It means a creator’s rights are protected instantly, without the need for any formal registration or legal procedures. However, the artifacts do not always have a visible copyright notice. In other words, there is a risk that the user violated the law unintentionally. But what you are not expecting can be illegal behaviour.

1.2 Loss caused by Copyright Infringement

As a creator, needless to say, will have direct financial losses. When an image is used without authorization—especially when associated with a product or service that has market value, it will bring significant economic damages to the author. Besides, if an image is used in media associated with inappropriate content or negative publicity, the copyright holder’s reputation can be severely compromised.

For the one who violated the regulations, regardless of intentional or unintentional, you may be penalized if the copyright holders pursued legal action. Penalties may include substantial fines, hefty legal fees, and court-ordered damages. A trivial “miss” may lead to an unimaginable loss.

Besides, if you are a company representative, copyright infringement will also bring great damage to the brand image. While the public image was defamed, the credibility of the brand was killed, and it is hard to rebuild a positive image. And the worst case will be suspensions of operations, or even bankruptcy.

The impacts may be much more severe than we think, so we always have to bear in mind how not to violate the rules. However, what should we actually do?

2. How to Prevent Copyright Infringement?

Here are things we need to do before using the data:

Check the copyright information before publishing

This is the simplest but the most important behaviour. The safest way is to use your own images so there will be no copyright problem. If you are using external image materials (free image site or photos by other creators), make sure to check the purpose of use and the expiration date carefully to prevent any losses.

Adding credit on the image

Even if you are permitted to use the image, always remember to add credit including name and reference when you are using it. This is a “declaration” that you do not own the copyright and you are not pretending to be the creator.

Maintain the integrity of the Work

Even when an image is licensed for use, modifying the work is generally prohibited. Unless the copyright holder has explicitly granted permission for alterations, you must avoid editing, cropping, or redistributing another person's work.

3. CIERTO is the Best Choice to Protect Copyright

We listed up some important notes you must check before publishing your production. In fact, to reinforce the power of copyright protection, CIERTO implemented functions that can protect creators’ rights, and also prevent unintentional incidents.

3.1 Watermark Function

Most Digital Asset Management (DAM) systems feature robust watermark function. In a DAM environment managing vast amounts of data, a watermark serves as an instant visual cue to identify copyright-protected content. Watermarks indicate the owner of the content or the conditions of use. This helps prevent plagiarism and unauthorized use of content, thereby protecting copyrights. A file indicated with watermark represents access denied; if content with a watermark is used illegally, the owner can be easily identified and it is much easier to deal with the issue. CIERTO watermark function is flexible and helps you to resolve the copyright.

3.2 Copyright Information on Metadata

Users can put copyrights and personality rights as a metadata on CIERTO. Usually this information can only be accessed on file properties and not many users are going to check them. But for now, by accessing CIERTO, you can check the metadata value easily and understand the licensing status of an asset at a glance. It is also possible to attach detailed information such as contract periods, contract terms, and usage guidelines for these models. For assets with a registered contract expiration date there are solutions that control access, so that assets within the contract period have download permissions, while download permissions are automatically revoked once the contract period has expired.

3.3 Download Application and Approval

Download application and approval function is critical in preventing unauthorized utilization of assets. When a user submitted a download request, the request is sent to a pre-designated approver. If usage is permitted after the approver coordinates with the rights holder, they can grant download approval to the applicant. By establishing a request and approval workflow, it is possible to proactively prevent unauthorized utilization and avoid rights infringement and legal risks as there are double or even multiple checks for the use of assets.

To sum up...

We all know the importance of protecting the copyright of the data. However, we may all have a possibility that violated the rule "unintentionally". Nonetheless, it cannot be an excuse for breaking the rules and not to have punishment.

CIERTO, however, will be the best choice for us to prevent any kind of copyright infringement. By taking the precaution measures via CIERTO, the risk of violating the rules can be greatly reduced. If you are concerning on the copyright issue, having CIERTO may be a good solution for you.