Is it legal to copy and paste a conversation on an internet forum?

[fellbuddy]

If you find a conversation on an internet forum that you want to copy and paste and then publish on your own website,is that legal. I don't mean to claim it as your own but simply copy it as it appears so it is obvious that this is not you but someone else talking.

[Steve]

If you post the link to the source then your fine. Just talk about it before hand and why you are posting it on your site.

[Paultech]

hmm this might come under copywriter violation, since you need the permission of the people in the conversation, unless you hosted the site etc.. and had a waver saying you can use what is said on websites etc.

[Veronica Evans]

not without the owners consent... if you wrote a story of it, in your own words and not theirs that may be a way round it.

[Ben]

Technically, no. The person who made that post owns the copyright to it and can demand you take it down. But it is only a civil infraction- they can ask you to take it down, and can sue you if you don't, but you don't have to worry about the police coming knocking on your door to arrest you. And most people who make forum posts intend for them to be public, so it's generally not a problem. Also, they weren't making any money from the post anyway so there's no damages, so they can't really sue you for any money.

And no, citing your sources does not absolve you of copyright infringement.

[IrakliC]

Yes, If you aren't criticising the conversation