Copyright Act And Photographs On Social Media

Are photographs posted on Social Media Protected under Copyright Law?

Introduction

We live, today, in an internet age, where human beings scattered all over the world are perpetually and constantly connected via social networking websites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and several more. Social Media is that construct, which gives users the ability to share content instantly, from any corner of the planet, and all they need is an internet connection!

It must be admitted, that sharing photos that other people post on their profiles is something several of us do quite frequently when browsing on social media websites. If a beautiful picture pops up on our screens which inspires us, or makes an impact, we immediately feel the need to share that picture with friends or family, and we do so, without a second thought. However, this action begs the question, at what point does this act of sharing another person's picture become a possible copyright infringement?