Title: WordPress Copyright Issues
Last modified: August 19, 2016

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# WordPress Copyright Issues

 *  [agrondahl](https://wordpress.org/support/users/agrondahl/)
 * (@agrondahl)
 * [16 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-copyright-issues/)
 * Right now I have a WordPress.com blog.
 * I recently heard a rumor. It was this:
 * “I should use a WordPress.org site for my blog instead, because on a WordPress.
   com site, WordPress.com ends up owning/holding the copyright to everything I 
   put/post on the blog.”
 * Is this true?
 * I use the blog to write about a non-profit program I run. Some of the posts are
   my own musings (to which, I assume, I hold the copyright; the right to reprint/
   republish in future) and other works by my members (to which, I assume, they 
   hold the copyright; the right to reprint/republish in future).
 * In terms of copyright (who actually owns what I post/write on the blog) what 
   is the difference between .COM and .ORG?
 * Thank you so much for your help!

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

 *  [esmi](https://wordpress.org/support/users/esmi/)
 * (@esmi)
 * [16 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-copyright-issues/#post-1498103)
 * No – that’s not correct. You retain the copyright but grant Automattic (wordpress.
   com) a license to use that content.
 * > By submitting Content to Automattic for inclusion on your Website, you grant
   > Automattic a world-wide, royalty-free, and non-exclusive license to reproduce,
   > modify, adapt and publish the Content solely for the purpose of displaying,
   > distributing and promoting your blog. If you delete Content, Automattic will
   > use reasonable efforts to remove it from the Website, but you acknowledge that
   > caching or references to the Content may not be made immediately unavailable.
 * [http://en.wordpress.com/tos/](http://en.wordpress.com/tos/)
 *  [Snat](https://wordpress.org/support/users/snat/)
 * (@snat)
 * [16 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-copyright-issues/#post-1498104)
 * WordPress.com do not hold any copyright over your work to what I recall.
 * Besides, why would they do that when they seem to want to promote freedom of 
   speech by offering the free services. If you are that worried, get a lawyer to
   look over the terms of services for WordPress.com.
 * All I know, is they have the right to backup your work but not to own the copyright.
   Basically, see it as you are giving them a right to backup your own work and 
   that’s it.
 *  Thread Starter [agrondahl](https://wordpress.org/support/users/agrondahl/)
 * (@agrondahl)
 * [16 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-copyright-issues/#post-1498118)
 * Thanks Esme and Snat. I think I understand, Esme, that Automattic can and will
   use it (my blog content), but for the purposes of promoting my blog and WordPress
   in general. Is that right? (Also, in the near future, I plan to take all my blog
   content, put it into a book, print it, sell it, and promote it. I just want to
   make sure there isn’t going to be any copyright/royalty/legal issue with that.)
 *  Moderator [James Huff](https://wordpress.org/support/users/macmanx/)
 * (@macmanx)
 * [16 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-copyright-issues/#post-1498349)
 * Yes, you own your content, but you have to agree to allow Automattic to display
   it and promote it.
 * If they didn’t have such a license in place, the fact that Automattic publishes
   your content on your own a blog at wordpress.com would be considered a breach
   of your copyright.
 * It’s a standard license agreement amongst all hosted blog providers. Nothing 
   to worry about.

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)

The topic ‘WordPress Copyright Issues’ is closed to new replies.

 * In: [Everything else WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/miscellaneous/)
 * 4 replies
 * 4 participants
 * Last reply from: [James Huff](https://wordpress.org/support/users/macmanx/)
 * Last activity: [16 years ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/wordpress-copyright-issues/#post-1498349)
 * Status: not resolved

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