The situation: A small company prepared a marketing campaign using images, background music and a piece of software found online, believing that whatever is browsable is free to use. After the ads ran, it received a message from the rights holder demanding it stop and pay compensation.
Applicable law: Under the Copyright Law, works such as images, music and software are automatically protected for their owners, and their commercial use requires a licence. Availability online does not mean permission to use without consent.
Typical outcome: The company had to withdraw the infringing content and negotiate a settlement or compensation. Those who buy licences or use clearly licensed content, and keep proof of their own original work, avoided the claim.
💡 Intellectual property · Awareness case
You used online images and music without a licence · Yalla China
🤝 Governing law: 著作权法 / Copyright Law
A business used images, music and software found online in its ads without a licence, and received a copyright infringement claim.
Illustrative, general educational examples — not real specific facts and not legal advice; for awareness only. For an actual situation, consult a licensed lawyer.
🎓 The lesson / takeaway
Lesson: Before using any image, music or software commercially, get a licence or use clearly licensed content. Content being online does not make it free. Keep proof of your own original work and of your licences to protect yourself from claims.
🕒 Updated: 16 March 2026