RE: copyrighted images

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By linking to someone elses images (say Amazon.com as you suggested) you can still be infringing on copyrights. Also, you could be sued for stealing bandwidth from said company among other things. Linking is worse then simply downloading and using someone elses images and could cause you additional law suits. Linking to images from other sites should never be done.

Digdug is not looking for "these are normlly from the book or DVD publisher and is fair to use for advertizements" but is looking to possitively ensure that they have clear legal use of the images.

I would suggest Digdug do 2 things. First, have a lawyer draw up a set of papers requesting the usage (and all the legal matters which the lawyer should know) of the images. This shouldn't be generalized and should allow you to use newer images depicting newer products. Secondly you would have your LAWYER submit these papers to the publishing house on your behalf to have signed. After this is done then you could legally use the images if granted.

Note also that if you were to simply go to the publishing house website and read through all their legal mumbo you may find that they actually grant the use of their images for certain thing like resale with conditions. If you dont see anything there and not using a lawyer you should email the publishing house asking them directly if you can use their images. Save and print all correspondence and keep them in a safe place.