What are the different types of IPR available to social media influencers?

Introduction

A social media influencer is a person who produces original content that keeps viewers engaged on different social media platforms such as Instagram, Youtube, etc. The content that is created and shared by influencers on social media is a production of their minds. The major concern of social media influencers is whether the content they create is protected under any law or not. The answer is that it is protected by Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), such as copyright and trademark. In this, we will discuss different types of IPR for social media influencers. Let’s have a closer look at different types of Intellectual Property Rights for Social Media Influencers.

Types of Intellectual Property Rights for Social Media Influencers

The following are the types of IPR under which content created by social media influencers is protected.

1. Copyright

The term “copyright” refers to a type of intellectual property that safeguards original works of art, including written work, visual work, audio recordings, cinematographic film, and other types of original works. The registration of copyrights gives the right to copyright owners to distribute, copy, exhibit, and perform their creative work. The registration also prevents others from using your content without your permission and authority.

2. Trademark

A Trademark is a sort of intellectual property that consists of a recognizable sign, design, or expression that identifies and distinguishes products or services from a specific source. The brand name of social media influencers can either be his name, or a nick name, or a name given by audiences, which is protected by Trademark Registration. The registration is important to preserve and generate the value of a brand name.

Why do social media influencers need to register their Intellectual Property?

• In today’s world, the infringement of IPR is prevalent. When the work of social media influencers is protected by IP registration, it is easier to enforce their rights in the case of a dispute than it is for unregistered users.
• The registration of Intellectual Property violates the rights of others or the public to use the content of social media influencers. If the work is protected, then the person will not use such content in the first place.
• A social media account gains more credibility when its intellectual property rights are registered because the followers and brands believe that the contents are more reliable and risk-free.

Conclusion

We will conclude by saying that there are two different types of IPR for social media influencers. The first one protects the original work and prevents others from using it, i.e., copyright, and the second establishes and protects your unique brand identity, i.e., trademark. It is advised to the social media influencers to get copyright and trademark licenses.