Copyrighting
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29 Dec 2007, 14:49
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Journals
Possibly too intellectual for crossfire, but I'll give it a go anyway! My 'question' is about copyrighting and its implication on the web; particularly writing.
To my understanding, regardless of where you're from, where the server is hosted or which country you happened to be in while writing. As long as the country has signed the Berne Convention you're basically 'safe'.
As soon as you've created an original piece, as long it adheres to your countries own copyright laws, regarding to 'skill, labour and judgment' (UK), then it's covered. This would be to basically stop time wasters, claiming infringement of a comment or forum post on xfire.be for example. You do not have to apply or go through a verification process. But you must make a hard copy in order to completely full proof.
So, for example, if I print, date, and then post myself (recorded mail) the article, I'm completely covered? Would I also need to add the "©" symbol to the bottom of everything I write or is not needed? And for instance, if someone then made a news post linking to my article without asking permission (mine) I could lawfully ask for it to be removed?
Now I know that there are separate cases and clauses regarding if I'm paid for the work for example, but assuming I'm not, is this basically the jist? Or have I overlooked something?
To my understanding, regardless of where you're from, where the server is hosted or which country you happened to be in while writing. As long as the country has signed the Berne Convention you're basically 'safe'.
As soon as you've created an original piece, as long it adheres to your countries own copyright laws, regarding to 'skill, labour and judgment' (UK), then it's covered. This would be to basically stop time wasters, claiming infringement of a comment or forum post on xfire.be for example. You do not have to apply or go through a verification process. But you must make a hard copy in order to completely full proof.
So, for example, if I print, date, and then post myself (recorded mail) the article, I'm completely covered? Would I also need to add the "©" symbol to the bottom of everything I write or is not needed? And for instance, if someone then made a news post linking to my article without asking permission (mine) I could lawfully ask for it to be removed?
Now I know that there are separate cases and clauses regarding if I'm paid for the work for example, but assuming I'm not, is this basically the jist? Or have I overlooked something?
» You cannot post two comments in a row that fast.
tldr!
Then if any of their work is copied they can prove that they made the original.
Edit: but i dont know if it is termed as "copyright" as i think you might have to pay for that. Plus "intellectual" (e.g. Writing) copyright is different afaik.
as soon as its your own work and more than just "random content", its copyrighted.
there a good wiki article afaik. at least when i had a look the last time
Copyright is automatic, but you should include "Copyright <your name> <the date it was first published> (or similar) if you want to increase your chance to enforce it.
Also, if you're writing as an employee the copyright usually belongs to the employer, and some sites (like this one) makes you more or less give up all rights to your own writing when you publish it.
No. Linking and even quoting parts of the text is considered fair use.
edit: The Fair use thing is an American law, I'm seeing if I can find something similar applies in British Law!
Going to court isn't a viable option for most people who are on the level of asking for legal advice on gaming sites though. ;)
in school we were always taught it's allowed to quote parts of articles (in the correct quotation-notation) but it's not allowed to copy parts and claiming them to be your own, which sort of makes sense
But copyright for the author is automatic and universal.
Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works -- directly to the source
Tim Berners-Lee: Links and Law: Myths -- views on linking from the Director of W3C.
Mark Sableman: Link Law Revisited: Internet Linking Law At Five Years (PDF) -- Linking insights in easily readable format. A bit dated though, from 2001.