Google Alerts
November 14, 2011
Copyright ©, Intellectual Property Information
Use Google Alerts to detect plagiarism and copyright infringement.
Search your name, website URL, or common combinations of words that you use in your articles.
Google Alerts emails you the latest relevant results based on your choice of query / topic.
Enter the topic you wish to monitor, then click preview to see the type of results you’ll receive.
You can use Google Alerts to monitor developing news stories, keep up with your competitors, stay tuned to celebrity news, or even keep tabs on sports events.
Google Alerts also lets you know what websites are linking to yours.
Visit: www.google.com/alerts
Copyscape
November 14, 2011
Copyright ©, Intellectual Property Information
Copyscape is an online plagiarism checker and detects duplicate content.
Copyscape is a free public service to address copyright infringement and plagiarism.
Anyone can copy your website content and claim it as their own. It is up to you to find out whether someone has copied your content without permission.
Copyscape provides a free online search facility for plagiarism online. Copyscape identifies instances of content theft.
Copyscape also offers professional services for more advanced needs.
Copyscape also provides a forum to share experiences, post questions and tips.
Copyscape © 2011 Indigo Stream Technologies.
Visit: www.copyscape.com
Public Domains as related to Intellectual Property
May 10, 2011
Copyright ©
Public domains refer to work not covered by copyright anymore. Public domains as related to literary, artistic, broadcasting, and musical products are works for which the copyright may have expired or for which no intellectual property rights exist or the copyrights have been forfeited. Some famous examples of public domains are that of Shakespeare works and music composed by Beethoven.
Public domains refer to information and works which are available to the public and can be used by the public because there are no intellectual property rights attached. The first time the term was used in copyright was in 1710 in the UK. Ideas are not protected by copyright law, only the material expression of such ideas. Mathematical formulas fall within the scope of public domain, but algorithms can be protected by some intellectual property rights.
Any works created before copyright laws are in public domain. It should be noted that translations and adaptations don’t form part of public domains. If the copyright on a work expires the work can fall into public domain. Government works generally fall within public domains, unless the work is enacted into law.
Public domain works form an integral part of the modern knowledge base and such should be used as sources of information. One must note that although a work is in public domain, you may still not present it as your own. You may use it, adapt it and make it available, but the work cannot be called yours unless you have substantially added onto it. Many databases exist for public domains where Internet users can locate work that can be freely copied and used without the fear of copyright infringement.
Contact us for legal advice regarding the usage of public domains and how to prevent your works from becoming public domain.
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Copyright Infringement Questions Answered
March 7, 2011
Intellectual Property News
Some of the most common questions regarding copyright infringement are briefly answered below.
Is a website owner responsible for the copyright infringement on their website if a user has uploaded copyright protected work for which there has not been given permission by the rightful copyright holder?
Yes, even if the website owner displays a disclaimer regarding the content of the website, he or she will be held accountable for copyright infringement. The reason is simple. It is the website owner’s responsibility to monitor the content of their website even if it is a forum.
Does this mean that a website owner and not the website marketing company will be held responsible for copyright infringement if an article is placed on the website that constitutes some form of plagiarism?
In a sense, yes, unless there is a contract in place that indemnifies the website owner from any lawsuits because the web marketing company takes responsibility for the content provided through an agreement. This means that the website owner should ensure that there is an agreement in place that states the web marketing company, which provides the articles, takes responsibility for the originality of the content.
What happens when a person gets an article from an article directory and places it at their website, to find out later that the article was already a copyright infringement?
Depending on the terms and conditions of use at the article directory, the website owner unless he can give evidence of where the article was obtained, can be held responsible for copyright infringement. The person who has copied the article and presented it as their own work at the article directory is the person who is ultimately responsible for copyright infringement.
If a person changes the content of a free article or places it without the resource box in place, does it constitute copyright infringement?
Yes since copyright is immediately implied and the terms and conditions of usage make up the user agreement, the website owner is in breach of the terms of the agreement.
Where can one get legal assistance regarding copyright infringement related issues?
Simply contact us at Smit & Van Wyk Attorneys for professional legal assistance.
Copyright Infringement of Software is a widespread problem
March 7, 2011
Intellectual Property News
Copyright infringement of software is often referred to in the slang way as software piracy. Not all copyright infringement of software is piracy though as there are several means to commit such copyright infringement.
Copyright piracy has become a global problem with software companies losing billions of dollars in revenue because of copyright infringement of software. Some argue that if the software packages were more affordable that they would not copy and provide the packages to their friends.
There is a widespread acceptance under gamers that the limitation of the usage of software prevents the games from being played. As such the gamers often obtain cracks to bypass the digital management systems of the software developers.
Most countries in the world have some form of law against the copyright infringement of digital works including software, but the level of enforcement differs widely. Anti-copyright groups argue that the lifespan of software is shorter than that of books or films.
As such the copyright period should be shorter as the majority of products will become totally useless before the copyright expiration dates. They feel that this hinders the development of new products based on existing ones because of the long duration of copyright.
Many of the software companies, although up in arms about copyright infringement of software, see the buying and using of a competitor product as a bigger threat that software piracy. They argue that users of illegal packages may at one or other time, purchase the licensed versions because they want to upgrade or because they support the product.
Microsoft for instance, allows for some piracy of their products in China because they want to get a foothold in the country rather than having the users work on the Linux platforms and thus completely lose them as potential future Microsoft users.
Contact us at Smit & Van Wyk Attorneys for legal guidance and assistance regarding issues surrounding copyright infringement of software.
More articles about Software related Intellectual Property:
Copyright Infringement of Software is a Widespread Problem
Digital Freedom under the Spotlight
Can I obtain a patent for my software-related invention?
How to Copyright Computer Programs & Software
