Copyright is a legal protection provided to the creators of a work that is original and can include anything such as written works, music, art, designs, photographs, film and broadcasts. It is a right that is set out in law and gives the copyright holder the right to control how the work is used, including by preventing others from using it without permission.
Copyright provides a way for creators to make money from their work without it being stolen or used without permission. It also deters people from using the work without permission and serves as a warning that if they do, they risk legal action.
What Is Protected By Copyright?
Copyright applies to any kind of ‘original’ work, from written works such as books, poems, blog posts and newspaper articles, to musical works, artistic works such as paintings and sculptures, photographs, films, broadcasts, and computer programs. Copyright does not protect ideas or facts in themselves, but only how they are expressed.
Copyright applies to creative works and does not need to be ‘registered’ to come into effect. In fact, any original work, as long as it is ‘fixed’ in some tangible form, is automatically covered under copyright.
Duration Of Copyright
The duration of a copyright depends on the type of work and the country where it was created. In the UK, works belonging to individuals usually have copyright protection for their own lifetime and up to 70 years after their death. For works created by companies or organisations, this is up to 125 years.
Rights Protected By Copyright
Copyright gives the holder the right:
-To control how their work is copied and used;
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-To be identified as the author of the work;
-To prevent others from using their work without permission;
-To be financially rewarded.
Using Copyrighted Works
Using works that are protected by copyright can be a complex area. Generally speaking, the best course of action is to always seek the permission of the copyright owner before copying or using a copyrighted work. If the copyright owner does not grant permission, then it is illegal to copy and use their work.
Exceptions To Copyright
In some cases it is possible to use a work that is protected by copyright without permission from the copyright owner. This is known as ‘fair dealing’ or as a ‘licence exception’. These exceptions can only be used for certain types of use such as news reporting, private study, and research or educational use. Fair dealing also sometimes applies to the use of copyright works in parody and satire.
In addition to the fair dealing exceptions, there are other exceptions such as those applying to the use of works for performance, teaching, quotation and library archiving. Whether or not you can use copyrighted work without permission depends on the type of use you intend to make of it and the country where you are using it.
Copyright is a right that is set out in law to protect the creators of original works from others using their work without permission. It gives the copyright holder the right to control how their work is used and also to be financially rewarded for it. The best course of action with regards to copyright is to always seek the permission of the copyright owner before using the work and to make sure that you are aware of the various exceptions that allow certain types of use without the need for permission.