If you are one of those gifted minds who devoted their lives to creation and art, you might’ve grown increasingly worried about the way many technologies out there seem to have been built with the intent of violating your copyright rights. There is no debating the fact that things are looking more and more bleak for artists but that doesn’t mean there is nothing you can do. This is where knowing the copyright laws both in your country and online is very important. So, let’s try to explore the surface of what copyright laws entail and how you can use them to protect your intellectual properties, and in the same way, stop people from stealing from you.
Understand the limits of fair use
One of the biggest things that comes into play when people violate copyright, is often the claim that their copyright violation falls within fair use. As an artist, you need to understand that while fair use is an important right to protect, it has its limits. Those limits exist specifically to prevent this rule from being abused against the actual copyright holders. When understanding fair use, the best way to do so is to go through the 4 factors in the balancing test as presented by Columbia University. These steps are to determine the reason for the use of your intellectual property, the nature of your work and its copyright standing, how much of your copyrighted material is in use, and finally, the potential financial value of the transformed work and its impact on your own creation’s value. With this in mind, you should be well armed to decide about fair use claims and know if you can claim or not a copyright violation.
The nature of the copyright of your work
This is by far the most important thing you need to know when you’re creative. You need to first understand that there is no singular copyright law. Copyright law covers things from technical blueprints to actors’ likenesses and every type of patent or creative product requires different types of laws and regulations. This much becomes even more true now that a lot of art exists in the online spheres. Learning the specific laws and regulations surrounding music, drawn art, or even sketch comedy is essential since the internet is still very much the Wild West when it comes to small copyright holders. This is where embedded tools in the many platforms available online are essential. Despite all this, you should make sure you know your rights properly and even contact an attorney if you feel it is required.
Utilize copyright violation tools available to you.
If you are one of those people who post content on platforms like Blue Sky or YouTube, you might find that there are actual services on these platforms that allow you to report copyright violations. These tools allow you to report copyright violations and leave it to the platforms to litigate these issues and decide whether or not the copyright violation falls within fair use or not. While this used to be eating on platforms like Twitter and Facebook, it has also become harder to come by actual copyright regulations on these platforms. The reality of course is that the internet is still very much a difficult place for artists to exist when it comes to copyright infringement. Yet it is also impossible for artists to exist without the internet. Therefore, understanding your position vis-à-vis the copyright laws online is essential if you want to be able to thrive on online platforms without losing any of your profit opportunities.
Do not be afraid to fight for your rights
When it comes to being a copyright owner, you shouldn’t be afraid to stand up for your rights and make sure that those who are violating your copyright pay damages. Nowadays there are entire attorney practices that exist to defend the copyright rights of artists as well as copyright holders. This is why, if you are a copyright holder, you shouldn’t be afraid to take action, especially legal action against those who are actually violating your copyright and potentially costing you a lot of money. In many cases, pursuing those cases will allow you to recoup the losses incurred by the copyright violation and potentially put an end to the abuse perpetrated by the violator.
As you can see, copyright law has many levels and many layers that can become quite confusing and difficult for those who are simple beginners. Whether you rely on the services of an attorney or legal transcription services to transmit your copyright claims, the reality is that relying on others and specialized services is the best way to handle copyright issues if you are somebody who is a beginner. There are of course better ways to learn about copyright, but it is usually best left to professionals.