How to Design a Website
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If you create or your business employs someone to create original literary, dramatic, musical or artistic works for you - from information booklets and computer programs to sound recordings and films - you'll automatically hold the copyright on them. Copyright allows you to control whether or not your original works are exploited by others and to what extent they are copied, adapted, published, performed or broadcast. It allows you to decide whether or not you will let others make use of your work for a royalty or licence fee. If the creation of such works is a central part of your business, this control can be essential. But you must be careful if you use contractors - perhaps to build your website, write your marketing literature or take pictures of your product launch. Unless you agree otherwise, the contractor holds the copyright. This guide sets out what copyright covers and the level of protection it gives. It tells you what to do if you think someone is infringing your copyright and explains the importance of respecting other people's copyright. What does copyright cover? You can claim copyright if your business produces original: ~
Copyright also covers the typographical arrangement or layout of publications. But you can't claim copyright for:
Remember, too, that contractors hold copyright on any work they create for your business unless you agree otherwise. Copyright covers every medium in which a work exists, including the Internet. Unlike some other forms of intellectual property, copyright in the UK doesn't require registration. It's automatic once your work is "fixed" - written down or recorded, for example. How long copyright lasts Copyright protection for literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works lasts until 70 years after the death of the creator. For rights related to copyright, such as protection for sound recordings, broadcasts and cable programmes it lasts 50 years. Copyright for the typographical arrangement of publications lasts for 25 years. You may have files, research and development documentation or accounts that don't qualify for copyright, however you can still protect them by registering them on the file-reg international website. Respect other people's copyright You run the risk of heavy penalties if you use copyright material without the copyright owner's permission. This means you mustn't:
If you infringe copyright, you could be taken to court and run the risk of damages and compensation. You could also face:
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. For more information on software licensing issues see our guide on computer software: the basics. 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. Get permission from the copyright owner If you want to makes copies of copyright work, or distribute, rent or loan copies of it, or adapt, perform or broadcast it, you should always seek the permission of the copyright owner. Remember, this applies to work on the Internet, too. The copyright owner is under no obligation to give such permission, however 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:
© Crown copyright 2005 - the text on this website is subject to Crown copyright protection.
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