How can marketers stay creative while steering clear of legal landmines? Ruth Carter (they/them), attorney, writer, and speaker at Geek Law Firm, joins Social Pros to unravel the legal implications of today’s hottest marketing trends—from AI-generated content to brand collaborations. In this episode, Ruth shares practical guidance on navigating intellectual property, distinguishing between copyright and trademark, and staying compliant without sacrificing innovation. Whether you're experimenting with UGC or working with creators, this conversation is packed with essential legal insights for every marketer.
Full Episode Details
Ruth joins hosts Zontee Hou and Sunny Hunt on this episode of Social Pros to unpack the complex legal landscape marketers must navigate in today’s ever-evolving industry. Ruth dives into how marketers and content creators should think about intellectual property, contracts, and copyright issues, especially when AI tools are involved in generating content. They explain why contracts should explicitly address AI use, the importance of transparency in data handling, and how marketers can avoid common legal pitfalls when working with third parties. Ruth also emphasizes the need for proactive data governance, especially in regulated industries, and encourages brands to build collaborative relationships with legal teams from the start — not just as a final approval step. Throughout the episode, they offer clear, actionable advice with their signature wit (jokingly referring to themself as a “professional killjoy”) and deliver one of the most practical tips yet for anyone in a service-based business.
In This Episode:
- 2:29 - What marketers need to know about protecting IP, and the differences between trademarks and copyright
- 5:50 - The specific criteria needed in order to trademark
- 8:34 - Leveraging the IP of others for your own purposes without getting into legal trouble
- 12:05 - What marketers should have in place in preperation for others to license their content
- 13:24 - Common mistakes and how people get themselves into trouble with legal
- 15:02 - Best steps to take when seeing your IP has been stolen and used illegally
- 18:32 - How AI-generated content relates to copyright
- 21:04 - Setting expectations and guidelines surrounding AI in third party-created content
- 22:34 - What Ruth suggests clients have in their contracts regarding AI
- 24:25 - How to manage confidentiality surrounding AI
- 26:48 - Being upfront with your audience about data collection
- 29:49 - Managing expectations and guardrails of compliance and legal
- 33:02 - How and why marketers often hit a wall with their legal teams
- 35:38 - Ruth’s advice for aspiring social pros
Resources:
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