Memes, such as those with famous celebrities on them, can be a fun way to spark conversations on social media. But did you know that using them could be potentially damaging to your L’BRI business? Here is what you need to know before using a meme.

Check the rights on an image. It’s important to be aware of the risks you’re taking by sharing a meme that was created by anyone other than yourself. It might seem like a minuscule risk to share something that everyone is sharing across social media, but there is a distinct difference between sharing a meme on your personal account versus sharing a meme on a business account. While you may not face any challenge from posting a meme on your personal, non-business (non-monetized) accounts, it is not the same as posting or sharing on your business Facebook page, Instagram or Twitter accounts. If you do, you certainly open yourself up to the possibility of receiving a take-down or pay up letter. Neither of those options is appealing and certainly aren’t worth the risk.

Our current Social Media Policies state: “If you use the trademarks, trade names, service marks, copyrights, or intellectual property of any third party in any posting, it is your responsibility to ensure that you have received the proper license to use such intellectual property and paid the appropriate license fee.  All third-party intellectual property must be properly referenced as the property of the third-party, and you must adhere to any restrictions and conditions that the owner of the intellectual property places on the use of its property.