Copying & Distribution of Materials

Intellectual Property
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Few people understand the laws surrounding copying of copyright protected works. Music works are protected under Copyright Law and although copying of music from the website or any source may be illegal in many instances, there are exceptions to the rule which can be explained to the user by an experienced copyright attorney. One can for instance, copy a piece of music from a purchased CD to a memory stick to listen in their vehicle, but copying large parts of music and sharing those tracks with others will be copyright infringement. People also often think that if a work doesn’t have a copyright notice on it, that copying of such is not unlawful. The user should note that once an original work protected under Copyright Law takes tangible form that it is protected whether there is a notice or not.

Take for instance, a radio broadcast. The presenter doesn’t have to say that the broadcast is copyright protected; it immediately is once it is aired. Unless there is a notice stating that the copying and distribution of a work is permitted, one may not do so unless you get permission from the copyright holder or creator. Another mistake often made regarding copying, is that if it is for personal use that it is fine to copy the work. Unless one asks money for it one can distribute it. It is a mistake. Unless it is stated on the work that you may freely copy and make available the work, you are not allowed any copying. Some educators believe that if the work is copied and made available for study purposes, that copying is allowed. It should be noted that even if the lecturer has purchased the instructor manual, that permission must still be obtained from the courseware provider to copy and make available for instance, the memos for review questions in the course pack.