How to manage copyright risks in content outsourcing?

2025-10-27
来源：羽薇网

1. Address Core Pain Points! Copyright "Minefields" Enterprises Must Avoid

How to manage copyright risks in WeChat Official Account content outsourcing? How to stipulate the ownership of copyrighted content from outsourced teams? How to deal with image and font infringement? These are the most worrying questions for clients when Shanghai Yuwei serves over 200 enterprises. Data shows that 65% of enterprises encounter disputes due to unclear copyrights of outsourced content, with a single case compensation exceeding 50,000 yuan; a cosmetics brand once had to pay 80,000 yuan in compensation and its account was restricted for one month because the outsourced team used unauthorized fonts. It is evident that copyright management is the "lifeline" of content outsourcing.


2. 3 Types of High-Frequency Copyright Risks: "Invisible Traps" in Details

Combined with the provisions of the Copyright Law and over 300 outsourced operation cases of Yuwei, copyright risks in content outsourcing mainly focus on the following three categories:

1. Text Content Infringement: Risks from "Plagiarism Rewriting" to "Derivation"

  • Common Scenarios: Direct copying of others' articles by outsourced teams, extensive excerpting of core viewpoints (exceeding 15% of the original text), and adapting original content without authorization all constitute infringement. A technology company was ordered to pay 120,000 yuan in compensation because its outsourced copy "rewrote" an industry report without indicating the source.

  • Hidden Risks: Failure to verify authorization when citing data and cases—even if the source is indicated, commercial use may still lead to infringement. Yuwei once rejected content in an outsourced draft that "copied user testimonials from competitors" to avoid disputes.

2. Visual Material Infringement: Images and Fonts as "High-Risk Areas"

  • Image Infringement: 90% of infringement disputes arise from the misconception that "downloading from free image libraries equals commercial use." A food brand used a online photographic image as the cover of its article and was sued by the photographer for 50,000 yuan in compensation.

  • Font Infringement: Non-free fonts such as "Microsoft YaHei" and "Founder Lanting" used in title design without authorization constitute infringement. A clothing brand was claimed 30,000 yuan in compensation because the outsourced poster used infringing fonts.

3. Unclear Copyright Ownership: Missing Contracts Lead to "Loss of Creative Achievements"

Outsourced teams claiming copyright "on the grounds of originality," refusing secondary adaptation by enterprises, or arbitrarily authorizing third parties to use the created content—such disputes account for 40%. An education institution had to pay high authorization fees to the team when compiling outsourced copy into a book later, as the contract did not clarify ownership.


3. Full-Process Prevention: 4 Steps to Build a Copyright "Firewall"

1. Pre-Outsourcing: Sign a "Copyright Protection Contract" and Clarify 5 Core Clauses

In accordance with the standards for commissioned creation contracts, Yuwei recommends clarifying the following in the contract:

  • Copyright Ownership: Stipulate that "the copyright (including information network communication right and adaptation right) of all creative achievements (including text and design) belongs to the enterprise," and the team only retains the right of authorship;

  • Authorization Commitment: Require the outsourced party to commit that "all materials used have obtained legal authorization" and attach a list of material sources;

  • Breach of Contract Compensation: Clearly state that "in case of infringement, the outsourced party shall bear all compensation liabilities (including litigation fees and attorney fees)"; Yuwei's cooperative clients have recovered more than 200,000 yuan in infringement losses through this clause;

  • Scope of Use: Specify that "the enterprise may use the content on all platforms such as Official Accounts and Channels, and has the right to secondary adaptation";

  • Right Certification: Require the outsourced party to provide documents such as original declarations and material authorization certificates for retention.

2. In-Process: Establish a "Three-Level Review Mechanism" to Block Infringement Sources

Yuwei's original copyright review process has helped over 150 enterprises achieve "zero infringement":

  • Level 1 Self-Inspection: When submitting the first draft, the outsourced team attaches a "Copyright Self-Inspection Form," indicating the text originality rate (required to be ≥85%), material sources, and authorization certificates;

  • Level 2 Verification: Enterprises or outsourced operation parties use "copyright detection tools" (such as WeChat Original Protection and CNKI Plagiarism Check) to screen text, and verify image authorization through "authorized material libraries" (Yuwei has cooperated with Visual China and ZCOOL Hailuo to ensure material compliance);

  • Level 3 Safeguard: Legal personnel or professional copyright staff conduct reviews, focusing on verifying details such as "reasonable citation ratio" and "authorization period."

3. Post-Incident: Respond Quickly to Infringement Disputes, 4 Steps to Reduce Losses

If an infringement notice is received, follow these steps:
① Immediately take down the infringing content to avoid "continuous infringement" increasing liability;
② Verify the contract provisions to clarify the responsible party (if the outsourced party breaches the contract, send a liability letter immediately);
③ Communicate with the right holder, provide authorization certificates or negotiate compensation (Yuwei once assisted a client in reaching a settlement with only 10% of the claimed amount);
④ Retain communication records as evidence for subsequent claims against the outsourced party.

4. Long-Term: Build an "Authorized Material Library" to Avoid Risks from the Source

  • Enterprises can build their own material libraries and include the "List of Free Commercial Materials" (including public welfare images and open-source fonts) provided by Yuwei;

  • Agree with the outsourced team that "materials can only be obtained from designated authorized channels"; Yuwei's cooperative material platforms offer exclusive corporate discounts to reduce authorization costs.


4. Yuwei's Exclusive Services: "One-Stop Solution" for Copyright Risks

  1. Free Copyright Diagnosis: Analyze the infringement risks of the enterprise's existing outsourced content within 72 hours and issue a Rectification Plan;

  2. Standardized Contract Template: Provide an outsourced contract template with "copyright protection clauses," reviewed by cooperative lawyers;

  3. Material Resource Connection: Open access to Yuwei's authorized material library, covering over 100,000 images and more than 50 compliant fonts;

  4. Emergency Support: In case of infringement disputes, link with legal teams to provide "one-on-one rights protection guidance"; a cross-border brand resolved a font infringement issue in 3 days through this service.


Conclusion: Copyright Management = Cost Control + Brand Protection

Copyright risks in content outsourcing are not unavoidable—the key lies in "contract-based prevention, review-based risk control, and long-term management." Choosing an outsourced operation partner with both professionalism and responsibility allows enterprises to operate with peace of mind and compliance.


👉 Consult Shanghai Yuwei Now to receive the 2025 Edition of Content Outsourcing Copyright Risk Prevention Handbook + one-on-one copyright diagnosis service, ensuring every article stands the test of law!

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