Common Misconceptions About Copyright Law

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Most people see a copyright notice on almost anything that they pick up throughout the day, whether it is a product or a piece of literature. However, that does not mean that the average person truly understands how copyright law works. Failure to make oneself aware of the law is not an excuse that stands up in court, so it is important to understand the law before using an idea or product.

Some people believe that they are not violating a copyright if they do not charge for it when they share it with others. However, after the controversy surrounding illegal music downloads, most should realize that this is not the case. Not charging for the material may result in lower fines in court, but it does not excuse someone using another's exclusive property.

Another common misconception is that anything posted on the Internet is in the public domain. The reality is that almost no modern works are in the public domain and it is never safe to assume that something is. The only works that are in the public domain are those that have a specific statement attached from the creator granting permission to others to use it.

There are some people who think that a product is not copyrighted if it does not specifically say so. Although this was true in the past, many copyrighted items today do not hold the copyright symbol on them. Keep in mind that almost everything is copyrighted and that is may be expressed in different terms than the traditional copyright symbol.

If someone creates, for example, a completely new story, it is necessary for them to have completely new characters. This means that someone cannot write a new story based on their favorite copyrighted characters and call it their own, new creation. This means that most of the fan fiction that is floating about on the Internet is actually in violation of copyright law.

It is very important to understand copyright law because violating it could lead to significant penalties. Someone who does not realize that they are breaking copyright law will still get themselves in trouble since not knowing is not an excuse that typically stands up in court. Remember that almost everything is copyrighted, even if it is posted on the Internet or does not carry a copyright symbol on it. Changing the story or not charging for the intellectual property does not mean that it is not violating the law.


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