Living in the digital age there is so much opportunity for copyright to be infringed. Did you know that anytime that we share or post a photo, play a song out and benefit or profit from it, even sharing another’s image on any number of our social media accounts we could and might likely be infringing copyright?
I’m always super careful to ensure that the images which I utilise I’ve purchased the rights to utilise or that in fact they’re royalty free. But I’m certain there are others which aren’t so careful and really is it that important? I mean who’s going to find out and do the copyright police even exist?
I guess they do and there are loads of lawyers out there who’s soul job in fact is to defend those who’ve had their work infringed on and seek compensation others have lost out on.
The Australian Copyright Council is an independent, non-profit organisation, which was founded in 1968. Their job? To represent the peak bodies for professional artists and content creators working in Australia’s creative industries and Australia’s major copyright collecting societies. They sound bad ass right? Almost like the Batman of intellectual property and protecting your rights as a creator.
Their goal is to promote understanding of copyright law and its application, lobby for appropriate law reform and foster collaboration between content creators and consumers. Their website is pretty awesome and provides a plethora of information, resources and support for anyone wanting to school themselves on the ins and outs as well as access support or defense if necessary.
Given that they’re a not for profit organisation, most of their money comes in the way of grants from the local and federal government as well as arts funding too.
Throughout the year and across Australia, they host a range of events and seminars that anyone can attend. You can see what’s happening and where here. I strongly suggest that if you’re a creative of any kind you look to attend. They also offer a range of online courses available as well as a range of fact sheets and general information you can check out here.
The best way to protect yourself and work is to know what your rights are, and what to do if you in fact think there is an infringement and your work has been ripped off or re-purposed.
Not for profit organisations like the Australian Copyright Council are there to protect your rights but also assist you in making a claim if that might ever happen. If it happens overseas, things can get a little more complicated but you still have rights as the creator.
But what happens if you as an artist and creator want people to access your information? To utilise it or even improve on it? Well then friends it’s likely that a Creative Commons License is for you. What’s that you say?
The CC licences provide a simple standardised way for individual creators, companies and institutions to share their work with others on flexible terms without infringing copyright. The licences allow users to reuse, remix and share the content legally.
Offering your work under a Creative Commons licence does not mean giving up your copyright. It means permitting users to make use of your material in various ways, but only on certain conditions. You can read more information here, see if it’s right for you and actually access some really cool works and information.
One case of copyright infringement which happened most recently, was when Robin Thicke and Pharell were ordered to pay Martin Gay’s family a total sum of $7.2 million dollars for their what everyone was calling a blatant rip off of Gaye’s 1972 track “Gotta Give It Up”. You can read more on what happened in the case by reading the Rolling Stones full coverage of it here. Essentially they ripped his track off and then released “Blurred Lines“.
When the track actually grossed an apparent $17 million anyway, it poses the question that were the Gaye family to have a good lawyer and then come upon on this additional money after Gay’s own father killed him years ago, and well if Thicke, Pharell and also T.I who was implicated in the trial made tonnes of money off it anyway, is it not just all gravy?
Know the facts, protect your own arse and remember there are ways around utilising sources that others own the rights too, a first good place to start would be just to straight out ask them.
Love your thoughts and feedback, as it seems at times the lines are blurred… (Yeah lame we know what we did there, but it was too tempting not too).