Copyright infringement
You run the risk of heavy penalties if you commit copyright infringement - in other words, use of copyright material without the copyright owner's permission. This means you mustn't:
- copy a work
- sell, rent or lend copies of a work to the public
- perform, show or play a work in public
- broadcast a work
- make an adaptation of a work
If you infringe copyright, you could be taken to court and run the risk of having to pay damages and compensation to the copyright owner. You could also face:
- having an injunction taken out against you - to stop you using the copyright material
- being ordered to surrender the copyright material to the copyright owner
One common form of copyright infringement in businesses is software misuse - by making illegal copies of software or breaching the terms of the software licence.
Copyright piracy - deliberate infringement of copyright on a commercial scale - can even be a criminal offence. This carries an unlimited fine and up to ten years' imprisonment.
Some groups of copyright owners - eg software designers and music producers - can join organisations which protect their interests by, for example, investigating copyright infringement and taking action against offenders.
Get permission from the copyright owner
You must ask the permission of the copyright owner if you want to make, distribute, rent or loan copies of their work, or to adapt, perform or broadcast it. Remember, this applies to work on the Internet too. However, the copyright owner is under no obligation to give such permission.
Sometimes there are organisations that work on behalf of copyright owners and grant licences for use of copyright works. Such an organisation may be able to offer you a blanket licence for use of all copyright work in one particular field.
When you don't need permission
There are occasions when you don't need permission. For example, you're allowed limited use of copyright material for:
- teaching, research or study
- criticism or reviewing
- reporting current events
- court proceedings
Copyright Infringements can be reported here at.... Copynot Copyright Infringements and Piracy Watch
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