The Five Essential Copyright-Related Terms You Need to Know
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In the present digital era, where we are so connected than ever, and the amount of online content produced has never been higher – the responsibility of safeguarding content has never been more crucial. However, in this aspect, what needs to be duly noted is that staying on top of Copyright Laws, rules, and regulations on a content-rich internet can be challenging. It is because not only the internet but the laws, rules, and regulations are also saturated with exceptions, clauses, and legal jargon.
Many will agree if we say that legal jargon is an entirely new language all in itself. It can be pretty arduous for people to find their way around the law. However, it is undoubtedly imperative for online content creators to know the ABCs of copyright terminology for safeguarding their unique content. So, let us now make ourselves familiar with the five essential copyright-related terms that you should be aware of, which, in turn, shall help you take a step towards safeguarding your exclusive rights online.
- Intellectual Property & Intellectual Property Rights
Intellectual Property (IP) and copyright are related; however, they are not the same. Many people confuse the two concepts, which is why it is imperative to understand and differentiate them. In simple terms, IP is a category of property that includes the intangible (i.e., not physical) creations of the human intellect. Such creations may include literary and artistic works, designs, names, inventions, etc. Copyright’s relationship to IP is that it is just another form of IP, like trademarks, patents, and industrial designs. When you enforce your copyright, you enforce your copyright-related rights, which fall under Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs).
- Copyright
When you come across the word ‘copyright,’ what exactly is it that comes to your mind? Do you think about the fight between musicians concerning stolen or copied song lyrics? Or is it the copyright symbol with the small ‘C’ inside you think about instantly? Or perhaps downloading a pirated movie is Copyright Infringement? Most people know of copyright; however, they don’t know much about the term.
Copyright is the legal and exclusive right of the owner of some creative work, be it in an artistic, literary, musical, or educational form. The copyright owner or holder has the right to control who uses his creative work and the contexts in which the said work could be used. The concept of copyright is twofold since it covers both economic and moral rights.
- Economic Rights– Economic rights entitle the copyright owners or holders to earn money from their unique creations. It involves their exclusive right to control and make copies of their creative works. Additionally, economic rights entitle the owner of the creative work to make it available to the public, including sharing the creative work online. Copyright owners or holders can sell their economic rights to others, enabling them to copy and earn money from their creative works.
- Moral Rights – Content creators, i.e., copyright owners, also have moral rights. It includes the right of attribution – the exclusive right to be named as the owner of the creative work and the right to earn respect for it. Moral rights, unlike economic rights, can’t be transferred to others and always stay with the creator, i.e., the owner of the creative work.
When content creators, artists, or authors express their feelings of frustration and annoyance about having their creative works copied or stolen, it is often the violation of their moral rights that hits the most. Copyright Protection is a positive force for creators as it both safeguards their work and provides an incentive to generate more work, thereby securing their livelihood and ultimately promoting innovation and creativity.
- Copyright Owner or Copyright Holder
The copyright owner or holder refers to a company or an individual owning the exclusive copyright in creative works. For instance, if you create a written work or take a photograph, you own the copyright over it. However, if you work for a company and, as part of your job profile, come up with some creative work, then it is your company’s owner holding the copyright over the said work. The same situation applies when you create some creative work as a work-for-hire, where the individual or company who hired you holds the copyright; however, kindly note that this is usually all discussed and written in an agreement.
- Attribution
As already mentioned above, attribution is a way of giving credit to the creator of the creative work by naming them as the owner. The same can be done with a byline or watermark. Being regarded as the owner or creator of some creative work helps maintain the aspect of originality, signposting others interested in using your creative work to the right copyright holder; because let’s admit it, nobody likes it when others take the due credit for their creative works.
- Copyright License
Being a copyright owner or holder, you have the exclusive right to require a license for your creative work’s use. For instance, let us assume that you are an artist who paints pictures, and an art exhibition company wants to use some of your paintings on its website. In such a scenario, you could grant them a copyright license for using the pictures of your paintings, with specific guidelines for their use. Such guidelines could be terms and conditions, like the number of uses or the duration before the license expires. A copyright license may also specify whether the pictures are for commercial or editorial use. Think about the economic rights discussed above again. You exercise your economic rights with a copyright license.
Final Thoughts
As a content creator, you shall undoubtedly come across many more terms relevant to you on your journey in the world of copyright protection. However, with these five essential and basic terms, you are well on your way. The key takeaway is that you have exclusive rights under the copyright law that can help safeguard your content online. Whether you want to license your creative work or be duly credited for your unique creation, the law is there to help you. ✅ For more visit: https://www.kashishipr.com/
