COPYRIGHT LAW

Copyright

 INTRODUCTIONS/ OVERVIEW OF THE COPYRIGHT  LAW

Copyright is an automatic right that applies to different types of work  (UK Copyright Service no date). Copyright protects your work and stops others from using it without your permission. For example, you automatically get copyright protection when you create an original piece of work from any genre, either musical, literary, non-literary, dramatic, film, broadcast, or artistic works.

HOW DOES COPYRIGHT PROTECT YOUR WORK

Copyright protects your work by preventing people from; 

copying the work you have done, renting or lending copies of your work, publishing your work on the internet, or making an adaptation of your work. The copyright owner has the exclusive right to copy the work, issue copies of the work to the public, rent or lend the work to the public, perform, show or play the work in public, communicate the work to the public, edit or adapt the work, sell or license the copyright for use by others. Bart (2022)

HOW DO I COPYRIGHT MY WORK?

work created by you is automatically copyright protected, there is no fee or application needed for this. As soon as you record an idea, for example, by writing down the outline of a story, it’s protected by copyright. As long as the work is original, copyright protection is automatic. Copyright ensures works cannot be reproduced or used without your permission. (ALCS, no date) 

HOW LONG DOES COPYRIGHT LAST?

Depending on the type/genre of work you have created the lifespan of the copyright protections differ.

For written, dramatic, musical & artistic work, it lasts for 70 years after the death of the author.

For sound & music recording, it lasts for 70 years after the published date.

For films, it lasts for 70 years after the death of the directors

For broadcast, it lasts for 50 years after the broadcast date.

Copyright gives the creator, or owner, of a work of copyright the exclusive right to exploit it. Duration of copyright, also known as ‘copyright term’, refers to how long protection lasts in that work (GOV.UK, no date).

HOW CAN I STOP PEOPLE FROM USING MY WORK?

It is your responsibility to defend your copyright materials against infringement. You can also check if someone's use of your work is permitted before attempting to stop them. Some people or organizations (such as libraries or schools) may be able to use copyrighted work without permission. You should check whether someone’s use of your work is permitted before trying to stop them. (Service, 2015).

 

REFERENCE LIST:

Introduction to copyright (no date) UK Copyright Service. Available at: https://copyrightservice.co.uk/copyright/copyright (Accessed: 31 October 2023).

Bart (2022) Protecting, CopyrightUser. Available at: https://www.copyrightuser.org/understand/rights-permissions/protecting/#:~:text=The%20copyright%20owner%20has%20the%20exclusive%20right%20to%20copy%20the,copyright%20for%20use%20by%20others. (Accessed: 31 October 2023).

Copyright basics for writers (no date) ALCS. Available at: https://www.alcs.co.uk/knowledge/copyright-basics-for-writers/#:~:text=How%20do%20I%20register%20copyright,or%20used%20without%20your%20permission. (Accessed: 31 October 2023).

Copyright notice: Duration of copyright (term) (no date) GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/copyright-notice-duration-of-copyright-term/copyright-notice-duration-of-copyright-term (Accessed: 31 October 2023).

Service, G.D. (2015) How copyright protects your work, GOV.UK. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/copyright/stop-people-using-your-work#:~:text=You’re%20responsible%20for%20defending,before%20trying%20to%20stop%20them. (Accessed: 31 October 2023).