In the world of design and graphics, fonts play an important role in creating a unique style and expression. However, what many people don't realize is that they are also responsible for using fonts.
Complying with font licenses is key to avoiding potential legal issues related to copyright infringement. Let's take a closer look at why it's important to consider licenses when using fonts and what consequences can arise if they are violated.
I can download fonts, right?
Yes, you are right, you can download any font, but not any font can be used, especially for commercial purposes. The consequences for violation can be different: both a simple warning with a request to buy the font or replace it, and a very substantial fine. For example, for illegally using a font on the packaging of Azerchay, its owner sued the company for ~$16,000, and the entire batch of tea was declared counterfeit, and it was forbidden to sell and store it.
Free license
I think most of the people who will read this article want to understand free licenses. Yes, there are many of them, each license has its own conventions and restrictions and it is worth considering when using. Information about under what license is distributed under this or that font can often be found in the archive together with the font in the text document of the same name. And yes, if a font is pre-installed on your computer, it doesn't mean it's free.
SIL OFL
SIL OFL is a license that provides free use of fonts in commercial and non-commercial projects. It allows users to work freely with fonts without worrying about legal restrictions. Anyone can use fonts licensed under SIL OFL in any projects without restrictions. Users can share fonts with others without violating the license rules. Designers have the right to modify the fonts to suit their needs and even create new versions.
One of the key conditions of SIL OFL is to preserve the original font name in any modifications. This preserves copyright and identifies the origin of the font.
Creative Commons
The Creative Commons license is a set of different licenses that allow authors to distribute their works with certain conditions. These terms can vary depending on the type of license, but generally they give the author control over the way their work is used by others. It is important to remember that each Creative Commons license is different, so you should carefully review the terms of a particular license before using a font.
BY (Attribution)
This license allows you to use a font with the author's name. That is, if you use a font with a BY license, you must include the author's name when publishing your project.
NC (Non-Commercial)
The NC license restricts commercial use of the font. If you plan to make money from using the font, make sure that the license you choose allows commercial use.
ND (No Derivatives)
The ND license prohibits modifying the font or creating derivative works based on it. If the author uses the ND license, you cannot modify the font or create new fonts based on it.
SA (Share Alike)
The SA license requires that any derivative work be created under the same terms as the original work. This means that if you create a derivative work based on a font with an SA license, you must not distribute that derivative work with more restrictions than the original.
Public Domain
The Public Domain license is a variation of the Creative Commons license known as CC0. This license allows authors to give up all their rights to a work and put it in the public domain. Thus, anyone can freely use, modify and distribute Public Domain licensed fonts without any restrictions. One of the main advantages of using Public Domain licensed fonts is the freedom of action. You can not only use these fonts in your projects, but also modify them.
Freeware
Freeware is a license type that allows you to use a font for free. Basically everything is like Public Domain, but they cannot be modified. However, there may be special cases of different restrictions, so I recommend contacting the author of the font to clarify this.
Conditional free fonts
An example of this would be an EULA (End User License Agreement) license. This is essentially a document that sets the rules for the use of a particular font. It defines how the font can be used, how many computers it can be installed on, whether the font can be shared with third parties, and more. The EULA acts as a legal obligation between the creator of the font and the end user. It should be read very carefully by each particular vendor, studio, etc.
Paid fonts
If you thought that with paid fonts everything is simple - you paid money and you don't owe anyone anything, you use it as you want, then I will disappoint you. There are nuances here too. I will not delve into individual cases, I will go over the main ones.
Desktop
As the name suggests, this license allows you to install a font on your computer. You will be able to design printed products, banners, prints and clothing tags, etc. In some cases you can use it in logos if the publisher allows it.
Web
License for use on the site. The font must be located on the server and installation on a computer is prohibited.
App
There are no surprises here, the license is for apps. But you need to pay attention to the publisher's terms and conditions, not all of them consider an Android and iPhone app to be the same app, and this may already affect the font fee.
Font rental
Yes, the font can not only buy, but also rent for a percentage of the cost of the font. Convenient if you need a license for some event.
Subscription
The principle is similar to font rental, except that you get access not to one font, but to a whole library. But you should carefully read the terms of use of each particular library.
Tips from the author
In any case, before using a font, I advise you to find out under what license it is distributed. Even if on some site it is listed as free, check it out on the publisher's site. Especially be attentive to fonts with the note DEMO. Cases when a free font became a paid font are extremely rare, but they do exist. If you are a customer, always ask for a license for the font or confirmation that it is free (or purchased). Copyright holders monitor the use of their fonts quite well, and sooner or later the rule of "who will even look for it" will stop working and will hurt your budget.
