<strong><em>WHY SHOULD COPYRIGHT BE PROTECTED?</em></strong>

Pranjal Patel

Jul 2

It's vital to remember that copyright protects how an idea is conveyed, not the concept itself, such as if it's committed to paper or another medium.

What exactly makes copyright protection so crucial? Sure, but why should you be concerned if it happens on its own? While your work is automatically protected, this does not guarantee that others will not replicate it.

Copyrights should be protected because they provide a minimal level of protection for authors' rights to their works, thereby safeguarding and rewarding their creativity. Because innovation is the key to progress, no civilized society can afford to disregard the fundamental need to foster it. Creativity is essential for a society's economic and social progress. Copyright can also be viewed as a long-term legacy that can be passed on as part of an estate plan In the case of literary, musical, or artistic works, copyrights may extend up to 70 years after the death of the original creators, and up to 50 years in the case of broadcasting or publishing.

If someone infringes on your copyright, you will be able to sue the offender for a license or compensation for any financial losses you may have suffered. If someone uses your work without your permission, you have the right to stop them and to be compensated for any profits they make from it. If you notice someone using your job without your permission or knowledge, we advise you to seek legal advice from an IP specialist. If you have patented works that have grabbed the attention of others, you can look into licensing options to ensure that you get paid if they are used. When you license your copyrighted works to another party, you are giving them legal rights to utilize any (or all) of your works.

Licensing is also an important approach to strengthen the project's legal security, since it may be used as proof against anyone who fails to uphold their end of the deal or uses the research without permission. Every day, copyright infringements occur, so stay on top of your intellectual property defence and take reasonable steps to ensure that your rights are protected.
Copyright is automatically applied to any work that is an original production and not a duplication, and it is one of the most common types of intellectual property.

It's vital to remember that copyright protects the way an idea is presented, not the concept itself, such as if it's written down on paper or in another form of media.

So, why is copyright protection so crucial? You don't have to worry about it if it happens automatically, right? While your work is automatically protected, that does not guarantee that others will not steal it for their advantage. Your copyright may be worth more than you realize, so it's crucial to think about why you'd want to keep track of it.

Your efforts are valuable.

Whatever others may say, if you have an original concept or piece of creative work, it is still a potential asset and should be treated as such. Your work could end up becoming quite valuable in the future, and it could even be used as financial collateral. Copyrights can also be thought of as a legacy, as they can last for decades and be passed down as part of an estate. Copyrights can last up to 70 years after the death of the original creator for literary, musical, or artistic works, and up to 50 years in the case of broadcasting or publishing.

Defend your legal rights.

If someone infringes on your copyright, you'll have legal rights to demand that the offender pay you for a license or compensate you for any financial losses you've suffered. If they are utilizing your work without your permission, you have every right to stop them and demand recompense for any profits they have made as a result of your work. If you see that someone is exploiting your work without your permission or knowledge, we urge that you speak with one of our IP specialists about your legal options.

Licensing is the way of the future.

Whether you have copyrighted works that have piqued other people's interests, you can look into licensing possibilities to see if you can profit financially from their use. Licensing is legal permission granted by you to someone else to use parts (or all) of your copyrighted works. Licensing is also a good method to provide legal protection to your idea, and it can be used as proof against someone who doesn't follow through on their end of the bargain or uses your work without permission. The reasons listed above are only a few of the many reasons why you should be concerned about your intellectual property, even if you believe it is already secured. Every day, copyright infringements occur, so remain on top of your intellectual property protection and take proactive steps to safeguard your rights.

Conditions for copyright protection

As we all know that copyright does not protect the ideas or facts themselves but it is the arrangement and selection of those ideas. The following are the claims-

Fixation

The whole concept must be hallowed in a physical form of expression of the ideas. Although copyright protection is automatic, registering your work with the Copyright Office has some advantages. As soon as the expression is fixed in tangible form, it is protected by copyright. That is, it covers both published and unpublished draughts and completed works.

Originality

Even terrible work is protected under copyright laws.
Copyright protection applies to works that are comparable but were developed independently.
Minimal Imaginativeness

At the very least, some ingenuity is essential.

Example-

A list of parts for a child's toy, for example, is unlikely to be protected by copyright.
Copyright may apply to a page of instructions for putting together a toy from its pieces.
Copyright does not apply to a whole telephone white page.
Copyright may apply to the categorized yellow pages directory.
Copyright could apply to a website that allows users to search a white page database.

CONCLUSION-

Although copyright has many limitations and concerns, understanding copyright law and use would allow us to use copyrighted content in an extremely secure manner for educational and research reasons.

During/before the procurement/subscription of any resources, a suitable level of understanding of copyright concerns must be created. Currently, an agreement/contract/terms and conditions between the parties involved in resource procurement would play a key role in protecting the holders' copyright.

As a facilitator, the librarian must constantly educate his users about copyright problems. And this could be one of the most crucial aspects of preventing copyright infringements among library patrons.

REFERENCES-

Sites-

Government of India- A handbook of copyright law-

https://copyright.gov.in/documents/handbook.html#:~:text=Why%20should%20copyright%20be%20protected,requirement%20of%20encouraging%20the%20same.

Books-

Alka Chawla- Law of Copyright

Workbook-

Understanding Copyright and Related Rights

World Intellectual Property Organization

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