About a year ago, a federal court in Alexandria issued a decision that panicked commercial photographers.

The decision could be interpreted as holding that it’s OK for a business to use someone else’s photograph in advertising without permission. To the relief of copyright owners, the Richmond-based 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals recently reversed it.

The 4th Circuit’s decision drives home this point: Your business should not use someone else’s photograph without permission for a business purpose, even on social media, and even if you edit it.  MORE>>