What is a Copyright?
A copyright is an exclusive right given to the author of a creative work. The U.S. Copyright Office defines a copyright as “a form of protection grounded in the U.S. Constitution and granted by law for original works of authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression.” This means that the originator of a work has ownership of the copyright of his work. The owner of the copyright has the rights to reproduce, adapt, distribute copies, display publicly, perform publicly, and transmit the copyrighted work. A copyright infringement occurs when these rights are performed by someone other than the owner.
Copyrights protect many artistic works such as poetry, novels, movies, songs, and computer software. With the long list of rights given to a work’s owner, and the long list of things covered by copyrights, it can be easy to commit copyright infringement.
For more information:
http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/
Tips for Avoiding Copyright Infringement
1) Download files from legitimate sites (i.e. Spotify, iTunes, Napster)
2) Get written Permission from the owner to use their work
3) It is not recommended to use file-sharing programs such as KaZaa, LimeWire, and Bearshare, unless you are familiar with their configuration.
For more information:
http://www.templetons.com/brad/copymyths.html
www.riaa.com/resources-learning/copyright-notices/
File-sharing vs. Downloading
When downloading, the file you are receiving is a copy from a server which hosts that file. When file-sharing, a file-sharing client finds a file from someone’s computer and then uploads that file to you. If a file-sharing program is not configured correctly, it will allow other users access to your files.
Policies Governing Copyright Infringement
Truman State University complies with the provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA).
For Truman’s policies see its.truman.edu/policies-procedures/.
For full details see the DMCA’s policy at http://www.copyright.gov/legislation/dmca.pdf
Additional Information
-According to the Institute for Policy Innovation, global music piracy causes $12.5 billion of economic losses every year, 71,060 U.S. jobs, a loss of $2.7 billion in workers’ earnings, and a loss of $422 million in tax revenues, $291 million in personal income tax and $131 million in lost corporate income and production taxes. For copies of the report, please visit www.ipi.org.
-Anyone found to have infringed a copyrighted work may be liable for statuary damages up to $30,000 for each work infringed and, if willful infringement is proven, then that amount may be increased to $150,000 for each work.
-See the student conduct code at http://www.truman.edu/conduct/