Medusa

Understanding The Term Copyright and The Process To Register An Infringement

Understanding the term copyright in general: Digital media rights act that protects the content on digital media platform from any kind of infringement is a part of the copyright act. So, let’s understand this copyright infringement with a common and very familiar example. Let’s suppose you’ve started an account on YouTube and you post some unique, self-made videos using your account. But, unfortunately, you get very less viewership on the videos that you’ve posted. However, someone else, having an account on YouTube takes your videos and uploads the same on their account, and luckily they get huge viewership for videos that you created. Now, there can be two cases, either you have registered your videos as public domain videos, and the person is using the videos giving a proper credit to you. But, if you haven’t done so and the person is using those videos without your permission, the act would be declared as an act of copyright violation. And, you can take proper action against this person, illegally using your videos.

There are two cases possible, if your video is being used for the educational purpose by any educational institute, that’s somewhere allowed under certain special circumstances. But if the guy is using your videos for commercial purpose, you have full authority to sue the person and drag him/her into the court for legal actions.

What is considered as Infringement?

To reproduce someone else’s work without seeking their proper permission.

To use someone’s work and prepare derivatives based upon their work.

To illegally distribute copies of the work done by someone else to the public by sale or in any other form of transfer, lending, or rental.

To perform someone’s literary work which is not registered in public domain, without seeking the permission of the author.

In terms of digital media content, displaying someone’s work to the public without seeking proper permission.

How can you Register a Copyright Infringement?

Step 1: Send a message asking the person who has violated the copyright act by stealing your intellectual property to stop the violation. Contacting the offender has to be the first thing to do every time you find someone stealing your work, not in a case, the person commits the same act twice or more than twice. Awarding the offender that you caught them red handed and you won’t hesitate to take a legal action against them if they don’t stop. Ask your lawyer to send a cease letter to stop. The letter should have the information about the work which has been infringements., and the type of infringe mentation done, and awarding them of the desired action you want them to take regarding the matter. In the end, only if you want, include a time limit for the desired action to be performed.

Step 2: Pursue Legal action against them if they don’t bother paying attention to your cease letter. But before that make sure you’ve your work registered as a copyright product of your name. You can’t register a case of copyright violation if the work which has been stolen isn’t registered as your copyrighted product. And you won’t be able to receive compensation for the same.