# Finding copyrighted images

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-copyrighted-images/220803>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [December 24, 2003, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-copyrighted-images/220803 "2003-12-24T06:08:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Cardinal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cardinal/32/4000_2.png) [@Cardinal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cardinal)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2003, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-copyrighted-images/220803/1 "2003-12-24T06:08:42Z")

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I’ve been asked by the boss to make sure that our company logo has been copyrighted. I’m sure that there is an inherent copyright upon the creation of the image, but it would be much better to know that it’s on file with the correct office.

I have done the search, but either the logo isn’t on file, or I’m not finding the right site. Thanks for any help.

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**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2003, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/finding-copyrighted-images/220803/2 "2003-12-24T06:29:40Z")

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Although a logo can be copyrighted, from the point of view of practical business purposes, it would make more sense to have it trademarked. If he simply meant to say “trademark” instead of “copyright,” you can search [here.](http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/gate.exe?f=tess&state=f3ogmv.1.1) Because of the enormous volume of copyrighted works, there is no comparable way to search on whether a work is copyrighted. It is the usual practice for holders of copyright to assert that fact by publishing a copyright statement with the work.

If he’s asking you to file for a trademark on the company logo, the USPTO site above contains information about that process.

The difference between copyright and trademark?

> [@](#):
>
> A trademark is a word, phrase, symbol or design, or a combination of words, phrases, symbols or designs, that identifies and distinguishes the source of the goods of one party from those of others.
> 
> A copyright protects an original artistic or literary work. For copyright information, go to [http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright/](http://lcweb.loc.gov/copyright/)

BTW, although copyright is presumed to exist for any applicable work from the moment it is created, the same is **not** true of a trademark. A trademark gives the holder the exclusive right to do business under the name or image in question, and therefore must be checked for potential conflicts with prior trademarks before it is granted. In copyright, the government is merely registering a right that you inherently possess, even without their involvement. In the case of trademark, the government gives you the right to use the trademark after ensuring (within certain limits) that it doesn’t violate other trademarks.