Last updated: 13 August 2026
Copyright affects almost every product sold through WPBay. Source code, documentation, images, icons, fonts, videos, audio, demo content and other product assets may all be protected.
This guide explains the basic principles and some common copyright mistakes made when developing and selling WordPress products. Copyright laws differ between countries, so this is general information and not legal advice.
Sellers should also review the WPBay Seller Agreement, Acceptable Use Policy and DMCA Takedown Policy.
What is copyright?
Copyright is a form of intellectual property protection given to original creative works.
Depending on the applicable law, copyright owners generally control whether their work may be copied, modified, adapted, distributed, sold, licensed or communicated to the public.
Computer programs are protected by copyright in many jurisdictions. Within the European Union, computer programs are protected as literary works under Directive 2009/24/EC.
For a WPBay product, copyright protection may cover original PHP, JavaScript, TypeScript, CSS and other source code; compiled or production code; original documentation and written content; custom illustrations, icons and graphics; screenshots and promotional images; audio and video; and sufficiently original arrangements of interface elements or content.
Copyright protects the particular expression of an idea. It does not normally protect an idea, business concept, general feature, programming language, method of operation, mathematical principle, fact or algorithm as such.
Names, titles, slogans and short phrases are also generally outside copyright protection, although they may be protected by trademark or unfair competition law.
Is registration required?
In most countries participating in the Berne Convention, copyright protection arises automatically when an original work is created. A creator does not normally need to register the work or display a copyright notice for protection to exist.
Registration may still be useful or required to obtain certain remedies in some jurisdictions. Repository history, dated source files, development records, contracts, invoices and release archives can also help establish when a work was created and who created it.
A copyright notice can make ownership clearer but does not create ownership by itself.
Who owns the copyright?
The original creator is usually the first copyright owner, but important exceptions exist.
Code or content created by an employee may belong to the employer, depending on the employment agreement and applicable law. Work created by a contractor may remain with the contractor unless the contract contains a valid assignment or sufficiently broad licence.
Paying someone to create code, graphics, documentation or a video does not always mean you automatically own the copyright.
If another developer, designer, agency or freelancer contributed to your product, obtain a written agreement confirming what rights were transferred and what rights, if any, they retained.
Copyright can be assigned to another person or company. It can also be licensed without transferring ownership. A licence grants specific permissions under defined conditions while the copyright owner retains ownership.
When you list a product on WPBay, you retain ownership of your intellectual property. You grant WPBay the rights needed to host, review, promote, distribute and deliver the product as described in the Seller Agreement.
Your responsibility as a WPBay Seller
By submitting a product, you confirm that you created it or have all permissions and licences required to distribute every part of it.
This responsibility covers more than the main source code. It also includes bundled libraries, Composer and npm packages, fonts, icons, images, templates, demo imports, sample data, videos, music, documentation and promotional materials.
If you cannot identify the origin or licence of an included file, do not include it until its status has been verified.
Using third-party assets
Purchasing or downloading an asset does not necessarily give you the right to redistribute it inside a product.
A stock image licence may permit use on a website but prohibit including the original image in a downloadable theme. A font licence may permit use on one domain but prohibit bundling the font files. An icon library may require attribution or a specific licence notice. A code library may require source disclosure, preservation of copyright notices or distribution under a compatible licence.
Before including third-party material, confirm that the licence allows commercial use, modification where necessary, redistribution as part of a downloadable product and the number of products or end users involved.
Keep copies of licences, purchase receipts, permission emails and the version of the licence that applied when the asset was obtained. A webpage describing a licence can change or disappear later.
Giving the original creator credit does not replace the need for permission unless the applicable licence specifically makes attribution the condition for use.
WordPress, open source and the GPL
WordPress is distributed under the GNU General Public License, version 2 or later. The WordPress project considers themes and plugins that derive from WordPress to inherit the GPL.
The GPL is a copyright licence. It does not place the software in the public domain and does not mean that nobody owns it. The copyright owner uses the GPL to give others permission to use, study, modify and redistribute the covered code under specified conditions.
Commercial software can be distributed under the GPL. Charging for a plugin or theme does not conflict with the GPL.
If your product includes GPL-covered code, you must respect the applicable GPL requirements. You should not impose additional restrictions that contradict the rights granted by the GPL.
Third-party components must also be compatible with your product’s licensing model. Copyright and licence notices should be preserved, and required licence texts or source code offers should be included where applicable.
GPL permissions generally apply to the covered code, not automatically to product names, trademarks, support services, update infrastructure, customer accounts or separately licensed assets.
Someone may be legally permitted to redistribute GPL-covered code if they comply with the licence. That does not permit them to copy protected branding, proprietary assets or trademarks, misrepresent the product’s origin or claim authorship they do not have. WPBay may also reject misleading, impersonating or low-value product copies under its marketplace policies.
For additional information, see the official WordPress licence page.
AI-generated code and content
Using an AI tool does not guarantee that its output is original, copyright-free or exclusively owned by you.
AI-generated code may reproduce or closely resemble existing code, including code governed by an open-source licence. Generated images, text, audio or video may contain protected elements or imitate recognisable characters, brands and artistic works.
The copyright status of material generated primarily by AI differs between jurisdictions and continues to develop. In the United States, purely AI-generated material generally requires sufficient human creative authorship before it can receive copyright protection. Other countries may apply different rules.
Review all AI-generated material before including it in a WPBay product. Check the AI provider’s current terms, investigate suspicious or recognisable output, document meaningful human contributions and verify the origin and licence of generated code where possible.
You remain responsible for material submitted through your WPBay account regardless of whether it was created manually, by a contractor or with AI assistance.
How copyright may be infringed
Copyright may be infringed when someone uses a protected work, or a substantial part of it, without permission in a way reserved for the copyright owner.
A substantial part does not necessarily mean a large percentage. A short but important, distinctive or original part may be substantial. There is no universal rule allowing the use of 10%, 20% or any other fixed percentage.
Changing variable names, rearranging files, modifying colours, translating text or making small alterations does not automatically make copied material lawful. An adaptation can still infringe the original work.
Examples relevant to WPBay include copying distinctive code from another plugin without complying with its licence; cloning a theme’s original design assets or demo content; using premium icons, fonts or stock images without redistribution rights; copying documentation, screenshots or product descriptions; removing copyright and licence notices from third-party libraries; and selling work created by an employee or contractor without having the required rights.
Independent development of a similar feature is not automatically infringement. Copyright generally protects the specific implementation or expression rather than the underlying feature or idea. However, copying distinctive code, artwork, text or structure can still create infringement risk.
Fair use and other exceptions
Some countries permit limited use of copyrighted material without permission for purposes such as criticism, review, quotation, reporting, education, parody or research.
The United States uses the concept of fair use, while other countries may apply fair dealing or specific statutory exceptions. These rules differ significantly and depend on the exact circumstances.
A commercial product does not automatically fall outside these exceptions, but commercial redistribution of third-party code or assets is rarely something a Seller should assume is protected without specific legal advice.
Common copyright myths
“It was available on the internet, so I can use it.”
Publishing something online does not place it in the public domain. Assume that online code, images, text, audio and video are protected unless reliable licence information says otherwise.
“I credited the creator.”
Credit may be required by a licence, but credit alone does not provide permission. You still need a valid licence or another legal basis for using the work.
“I changed more than 30%.”
There is no general percentage rule. Small modifications do not erase the copyright in the original material.
“I am not making money from it.”
Non-commercial use can still infringe copyright. WPBay products are also distributed as part of a commercial marketplace, including free products used to promote paid services or versions.
“There was no copyright notice.”
Copyright usually exists without a notice. The absence of a copyright symbol does not mean the work is free to use.
“I purchased the asset, so I own it.”
Most asset purchases provide a licence, not ownership. You may use the asset only in the ways allowed by that licence.
“It is GPL, so I can claim it as my own.”
The GPL grants broad permissions, including redistribution rights, but it does not transfer authorship or permit the removal of required notices. Trademark, attribution, source availability and other obligations may still apply.
“AI created it, so copyright cannot be a problem.”
AI output can reproduce protected material, be subject to provider terms or have uncertain ownership. The person submitting the product remains responsible for reviewing it.
Other intellectual property rights
Copyright is only one type of intellectual property.
Trademarks protect names, logos and other signs that distinguish the source of goods or services. Avoid using another product’s or company’s name in a way that suggests affiliation, endorsement or official status.
Patents may protect qualifying inventions, technical methods or processes in jurisdictions where a valid patent has been granted.
Registered or unregistered design rights may protect the visual appearance of a product or interface.
Passing off, unfair competition and consumer protection laws may apply when branding, product presentation or marketing creates a misleading impression about the product’s origin or relationship with another business.
Personality, publicity and privacy rights may apply when using a person’s name, photograph, voice or likeness.
Permission under one type of right does not necessarily provide permission under another. For example, permission to use GPL-licensed code does not automatically grant permission to use the original developer’s trademark.
Protecting your own work
Keep your source code in version control and preserve dated releases. Use written agreements with employees, contractors and collaborators. Clearly identify the product’s copyright owner and licence. Keep records for all third-party components and assets.
If you discover copying, preserve evidence before contacting the other party or requesting removal. Save product files, page captures, URLs, publication dates and any information showing your earlier ownership.
Do not submit a copyright complaint simply because another product has similar functionality. Identify the specific protected code, text, design or asset that you believe was copied.
Reporting copyright infringement to WPBay
If you believe that content available through WPBay infringes your copyright, follow the WPBay DMCA Takedown Policy.
A complete notice should identify the copyrighted work, the allegedly infringing WPBay content, your contact information, the basis of your claim and your authority to act for the copyright owner.
WPBay may temporarily restrict access to disputed content while investigating a valid complaint. Sellers who repeatedly submit infringing products may have products removed or marketplace access suspended.
If your product is removed following a copyright complaint, do not simply upload it again. Review the notice, preserve your evidence and respond through the process described in the DMCA Takedown Policy.
Knowingly submitting a false or abusive copyright notice may have legal consequences.
Official resources
General international information is available from the World Intellectual Property Organization.
European software copyright rules are available in Directive 2009/24/EC on the legal protection of computer programs.
The United States Copyright Office provides copyright, fair use and AI guidance for the United States.
WordPress licensing information is available from the WordPress licence page and the WordPress Plugin Guidelines.
Important notice
This article provides general educational information. It does not constitute legal advice and cannot determine who owns a particular work, whether a licence is valid or whether a specific use constitutes infringement.
Copyright and other intellectual property laws differ between jurisdictions. Seek qualified legal advice if ownership, licensing or infringement is uncertain.