How Copyright Laws Protect Your Original On Line Material

With the rise of sites such as Xomba many new writers are being created. This is great! It means the future will be peppered with successful writers who found their voices due to the internet and that some exciting, highly creative and informative original material will be available that otherwise wouldn’t have been. However, some new writers are unaware of the full value of their work or their rights. This brief article seeks to inform them about their rights under Copyright laws.

This is not an exhaustive article but it does give a quick overview of your rights under UK Copyright and some sensible advice. For more information or information about Copyright laws outside the UK see the websites of Copyright Specialists or seek independent Legal Advice. Copyright laws differ slightly outside the UK but all aim to protect original material. At the foot of the article there’s a useful link to a site where you can check to see if your web pages have been used by anyone without your permission.

What protection does my UK Copyright give my work?

In theory writers automatically have full Copyright of their original material published on the internet (or anywhere else). Your Copyright means that no person can download, copy, adapt, distribute, broadcast, rent or lend copies to others or publically perform your work without your prior permission and agreement.

Do I need to register my UK Copyright?

There is no need to register Copyright because it is automatic but experts advise that each page and article you publish on the web should include the international copyright symbol (a small “c” inside a circle) your name and the original date of publication. It is essential that you can prove copyright should you wish to take action against any person/s or organisation/s that have infringed your copyright and copied, adapted, distributed, broadcast, downloaded, rented copies to others, lent copies to others or publically performed your material without your consent.

How much does it cost to register my UK Copyright?

It costs nothing as your Copyright is automatic. However, experts recommend you register a copy with a solicitor (this incurs costs) but also that you print out and sign a copy of your article and send the copy to yourself via the post. When you receive the copy you MUST NOT open the letter containing it. The letter should be filed and available to open in front of witnesses (should the need arise) to prove your ownership of copyright beyond doubt.

How long does UK Copyright last? Can I sell or give my Copyrights away?

You own the copyright on literary material and photographs published on the internet until you die and for 70 years after your death. Like physical property you have the right to give your copyright away or sell it. You can, for instance, include copyrights in your will for younger family members to inherit. You and future owners of your copyright also have the right to grant licences of your copyright (e.g. allow performance of your material or reproduction of an article either for free or for an agreed time and fee). By granting a licence you do not lose any of your copyright rights.

What can I do if my Copyright is infringed?

If your copyright is infringed you have the right to seek compensation. You can contact the infringer directly and hopefully come to a satisfactory arrangement. If this is not possible you do have the right to take the infringer to court. This will obviously involve costs and time. Some copyright specialists offer free advice in the first instance and you will have to decide if the case is worth pursuing after this.

Will my copyright be protected in the rest of the world?

In most countries, including the USA, Western European Countries and Russia you will have copyright protection. This is due to established international agreements. For copyright infringements in other countries you would have to seek the advice (often not free) of a copyright expert.

You can check to see if any of your web pages or articles have been used without your consent at http://www.copyscape.com. Other sites exist where you can check to see if defined extracts from your articles have been used. Google "plagiarism tools" to locate them.

This article is for information only and does not claim to be completely accurate or comprehensive.