The live video offers many advantages that include fun, easy and entertaining. Live video is also is not planned, not expected and many times it can be legal problems.
Is live streaming a new technology? No, it is not, live video used for many years, and it can be accessed using Periscope and other apps.
There are many possibilities with live video and anyone who has a mobile device can broadcast any event anytime from anywhere. There is an equal number of risks in live streaming some content. How do know what can be live broadcasted and avoid any legal problems?
Legal Measures while doing a Live Streaming:
- Ensure you are in a public space
- Check if the location is okay for streaming with your internet service provider
- Make sure to have adequate battery life, and make sure that you’re not too far from an outlet or power source
- Get consent from anyone who appears in the video before posting it online
- Know the laws of your state
- Get consent from any minors you might be live streaming
- Keep a record of who you are live streaming with and where they’re located
- Check the laws in your country to make sure you are not breaking any broadcasting rules
- Know how to contact law enforcement if someone is harassing you or violating your privacy
- Set up a chat room for fans and followers so they can ask questions live
- Make sure that the person streaming with you has an understanding of what they are getting into, including who will be able to see them and their location while streaming
- For live streaming, it is important to have a good internet connection
- If you are broadcasting from your home, make sure that your Wi-Fi router has enough bandwidth for all of the devices in the house
- Make sure that any sensitive information will not be viewable by anyone else while you are live streaming
- Keep an eye on how many people are watching and chat with them as you go along
- Check your local laws
- Determine what you are allowed to do and not allowed to do while live streaming
- Understand the risks associated with live streaming, such as privacy concerns and copyright law violations
- Do not stream anything illegal in the country you are broadcasting from
- If you plan to broadcast content of a sexual nature, be sure to have consent from all parties involved
- Be aware of any copyright issues with your video and know what fair use laws apply for live streaming
- Know the limits on how long you can broadcast without getting into legal trouble
- Obtain a consent form
- Have an NDA in place
- Get permission from the property owner and any other person involved in your live stream
- Make sure you have enough storage space on your phone to record the entire event without interruption
- Check your local laws to make sure that you’re not breaking any broadcasting, copyright, or privacy laws
- Make sure you have a good internet connection and battery life
- Be mindful of what you say while live streaming
- Get consent from anyone featured in the live stream before publishing it online
- Make sure you have a clear understanding of the laws of your state
- Check with your local police department to make sure you’re not breaking any laws
- Be respectful and don’t do anything illegal or dangerous while streaming
- Avoid doing any stunts that could endanger yourself or others, including jumping off buildings or bridges
- Do not use copyrighted content or trademarked materials without permission
- Keep the broadcast PG-13, with no nudity or profanity
- Be mindful of your surroundings and who may be watching you
- Cover up any private areas in a live video with something like a book or blanket
- Live to stream from own properly is less risky than from public property.
- If live streaming plan from the location of others, do not neglect to take written permission from the property owner to avoid any problems later on.
- Live streaming from places such as bathrooms or offices of individuals should be avoided. People expect some privacy in such places. It is also illegal to capture the images of intimate parts of some individual without their consent.
- While live streaming, check what will be visible to the audience on the screen. The area and the surroundings should be clear of any possible risks that cannot manage easily.
- Take care that the live streaming is not done from high traffic areas. People walk through and might say things that are not suitable to broadcast to the audience. Moreover, you may be invading the privacy of people when they are moving on the roads which may not be comfortable with others.
- To avoid copyright conflicts, do not show screens that show movies, sports events, other live events, or television shows. Legal problems may arise if any content on which some individual has copyright such as songs streamed.
- Do not show any product in a bad light. Do not claim any relation between your company and brand. However, you can show the brand name or logo in your live stream but do not claim any right to them. Do not pass negative remarks or give negative feedback to the audience about the brand.
- Take a signed release form from someone whom you want to show in the streaming video, and this is even more important when that person is popular. However, people have no right to privacy when they are in public places such as concerts or sports events. Here anyone can take a photograph or record the images and shots of the people attending the event.
- Keep a backup location on which you have more control.
- There are no tips that fully protect your room’s from potential hazards, but the well-planned live stream will be better than a spontaneous stream. If the live streaming is used for commercial purposes, sign the individual that is going to be interviewed and will show prominently.
With apps such as Periscope becoming popular and even Facebook entered the live streaming, many legal issues are also raising in the copyright infringement and privacy areas. Remember to use common sense to determine whether the live video is violating any copyright laws. If the audience is paying to view the content, it is protected by copyright.
Remember the above information and follow them to stay safe and avoid any risk while broadcasting live video using online apps. Live streaming is here to stay and be smart in using this technology. Simply remember not to broadcast content that is not your own and avoid invading the privacy of others.
