The wonder of the internet is the speed and ease with which it allows us to share

information. Before it can be shared, however, this information must be produced

or procured and producing this original content takes time and money. As media

companies move to monetize their online publishing, "free-riding" by blogs that

reuse content to attract traffic to their own sites is increasingly challenged. As print

advertising declines, media companies are less willing to simply give content and

traffic away.

At the same time, it’s never been easier for non-media companies to add news or

content to their website using "free" RSS feeds. Companies who publish blogs, or

whose employees blog, should establish and follow guidelines to avoid claims for

copyright and trademark infringement, unfair competition, and hot news

misappropriation. Ober|Kaler's Cynthia Blake Sanders explains.