Session 5 - Introduction To Copyright

Before we start, Take the Quiz to see how much you already know about Copyright. The Quiz is available on Moodle.

What is Copyright?

In Australia, copyright law is contained in the Commonwealth Copyright Act 1968 (Copyright Act).

A simple definition of copyright is that it is a bunch of rights in certain creative works such as text, artistic works, music, computer programs, sound recordings and films. The rights are granted exclusively to the copyright owner to reproduce the material, and for some material, the right to perform or show the work to the public. Copyright owners can prevent others from reproducing or communicating their work without their permission or may sell these rights to someone else.

Copyright does not protect ideas, concepts, styles or techniques. For example, copyright will not protect an idea for a film or book, but it will protect a script for the film or even a storyboard for the film.

Copyright is a separate right to the property right in an object. For example, this means that the person may own a book or painting will not also own the copyright in the book or painting unless it has been specifically assigned to them.

In Australia, copyright protection is automatic. There is no need for copyright registration in Australia, nor is there a legal requirement to publish the work or to put a copyright notice on it. A work will be protected as soon as it is put into material form, such as being written down or recorded in some way (filmed or recorded on an audio tape).

Taken From: http://www.smartcopying.edu.au/copyright-guidelines/copyright---a-general-overview/1-1-what-is-copyright-

Copyright Council of Australia

http://www.copyright.org.au

What is the Copyright Council of Australia and what does it do?

Read the Introduction To Copyright in Australia Information Sheet.

http://www.copyright.org.au/acc_prod/ACC/Information_Sheets/An_Introduction_to_Copyright_in_Australia.aspx

Discussion

Give some examples of some items that would be covered by Copyright.

Give some examples of things that may not be covered by Copyright.

Do you have items that you have created that are covered by Copyright? What are they? Discuss.

Do I (Michele Hardy) own the Copyright on the notes that I create in my own time (like these)?

Last week I was asked by our marketing department to take some photos of students in a classroom for an newspaper editorial. All students completed a release agreement allowing their image to be used for this purpose. Who owns Copyright? Discuss.

Misconceptions

Here are some common mistakes people make about copyright:

• You must register copyright in Australia otherwise the work is copyright free

• No formal registration of copyright is required in Australia. This means you should generally assume that content will be protected by copyright.

•  If there is no copyright symbol or notice, then the work is copyright free
• The absence of a copyright symbol or notice on a work does not mean that the copyright owner has abandoned their copyright or has granted an implied licence for anyone to use or reproduce or communicate their work.

• Once a work is published or in the public domain, anyone can use it
• The fact that a work has been published or is made freely available does not mean that:
  the copyright owner has abandoned their copyright

• the work has entered the public domain and is no longer protected by copyright

• If you wish to copy and/or communicate to the public the whole or a substantial part of the work, it must be done either:

• with the permission of the copyright owner

• under the free use or other statutory exception (See 1.13: Copyright Exceptions for further information)

• under relevant Statutory Licence scheme (See 1.11: Statutory and Voluntary Licences for further information)

• I am not infringing copyright if I am not making any money from my use of the material
  Your use may infringe copyright irrespective of whether you are making any money or profit from the use.

Taken From: http://www.smartcopying.edu.au/copyright-guidelines/copyright---a-general-overview/1-2-some-common-misconceptions

Copyright and Social Media

Who owns the Copyright of any images/video that you upload to Facebook? Instagram? Twitter? Can anyone use your Intellectual Property? Can they be used without your permission?

Read the Information Sheet on Social Media

Read the Terms and Conditions that you sign up for when you join any of the above social media sites.


https://www.facebook.com/legal/terms

https://twitter.com/tos?lang=en

https://instagram.com/about/legal/terms/

Australia's Copyright is Broken

Watch the video from the Creationistas - Australias's Copyright is Broken.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhDR1I4DpTo

What do you think?

Now is an interesting time to be studying Copyright. So many things changing and in the pipeline.