Writing Ethics and Copyright Flashcards
7 cards from real CPW practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Writing Ethics and Copyright flashcards as text
Under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), a website's 'safe harbor' provision protects the platform from liability when it:
Answer: Promptly removes infringing content upon proper notice
DMCA safe harbor shields platforms from copyright liability if they have a notice-and-takedown policy and act expeditiously upon receiving valid notices.
A grant writer discovers that a colleague submitted fabricated data in a federal grant application. The ethical obligation is to:
Answer: Report the misconduct through appropriate institutional channels
Research and grant fraud is illegal and unethical; professional duty requires reporting through proper channels, which may include federal oversight agencies.
A copyright holder sends a cease-and-desist letter to a blogger. The blogger believes their use is fair use. What is the safest first step?
Answer: Consult an intellectual property attorney before responding
Fair use is an affirmative defense determined case-by-case, so consulting an IP attorney before responding protects the blogger's legal position.
Which best describes 'copyright assignment' versus 'copyright licensing'?
Answer: Assignment transfers ownership; licensing grants permission while ownership is retained
An assignment transfers copyright ownership entirely, while a license grants specified usage rights without the licensor giving up ownership.
A copywriter is hired to write promotional content and knowingly makes false claims about a competitor's product. Beyond copyright issues, this creates exposure for:
Answer: Defamation and false advertising claims
False statements of fact about a competitor's products can constitute both commercial defamation (trade libel) and violations of FTC false advertising rules.
The 'idea-expression dichotomy' in copyright law means that:
Answer: Expression is protected, but the underlying idea is not
Copyright protects the specific creative expression of an idea, not the idea itself, allowing others to write about the same subject in their own words.
A professional writer editing a historical biography changes quotations to make the subject appear more eloquent. This violates:
Answer: Accuracy and fidelity to the historical record
Altering historical quotations misrepresents the historical record and the subject's actual words, violating the writer's core duty of accuracy.