By Sean Waterman, Head of Intellectual Property
Copyright can be a challenging and sometime daunting subject but understanding its basic principles will go a long way to help you avoid copyright infringements and ensure you are in control over how your copyright protected assets are used.
Our CPD UK accredited half day Copyright Basics course provides a solid introduction to copyright perfect for beginners or those who want a refresher. It will provide you with the confidence to address key questions about copyright including:
What does copyright protect?
Copyright protects original creative works, and certain categories of original creative works that qualify for copyright protection and what qualifies as an ‘original’ work in the UK?
How are copyright works protected?
Copyright grants the copyright owner the exclusive rights to control how their work can be copied and used. If their work is used without their permission, they have the right to take legal action against the infringing party.
Who owns copyright?
The creator of a work is normally the first owner of the copyright, but ownership can be transferred to another party and retained by the employer if the creator is an employee.
Do creators have rights other than copyright?
Creators also have moral rights over how their works are used and so need to be taken into consideration even if they do not own the copyright.
How long does copyright last?
Copyright protection lasts for a long time but not forever. Understanding how to calculate the duration of copyright and establish when a work enters the public domain is important especially for museums and archives.
What if the copyright holder is untraceable?
There are estimated to be hundreds of millions of “orphan works” in the UK that are in copyright, but the copyright owners cannot be traced.
What are Creative Commons licences?
Creative Commons licences are a popular and widely used international licensing system that permit the legal sharing and re-use of creative works without the need to seek permission directly from the copyright owner. However, there are different types of Creative Commons licences with varying levels of permissiveness. To use a work legally it is important to understand each licence’s obligations and restrictions.
In Copyright Basics, you’ll explore the basics of copyright — what it protects, how long it lasts, and what your responsibilities are when creating, using, or publishing content. Perfect for beginners or anyone looking for a refresher, this course will equip you with the knowledge and confidence to handle rights responsibly in your day-to-day work. The course is running 20 April, 12:30-4pm. Please contact us at info@naomikorn.com with any queries.
