COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT C AROL K OTERMANSKI C HRIS I OFFREDA M IRKO A ZIS M IKE B OLSTER E THAN F RIER

WHAT IS COPYRIGHT LAW? C OPYRIGHT LAW PROTECTS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY. C OPYRIGHT LAW IS CONTROLLED BY THE US C OPYRIGHT OFFICE IN THE U NITED S TATES. IF AN ILLEGAL COPY OF A PRODUCTION IS AVAILABLE FOR LESS, COPYRIGHT HOLDERS HAVE LESS FINANCIAL INCENTIVE TO PRODUCE MATERIAL I. E. MUSICIANS PRODUCING MUSIC.

WHAT IS COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMEN T? C OPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT ( OR COPYRIGHT VIOLATION ) IS THE UNAUTHORIZED USE OF MATERIAL THAT IS COVERED BY COPYRIGHT LAW. C OPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT NEGATES THE INCENTIVE FOR PRODUCERS TO PRODUCE MATERIAL. C OPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT IS ALSO KNOWN AS PIRACY. C OPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT IS ILLEGAL.

HOW DO COPYRIGHT LAWS AFFECT ME? I T STOPS PEOPLE FROM DOWNLOADING MUSIC AND OTHER DOCUMENTS FOR FREE. C OPYRIGHT LAW IS A VERY EFFECTIVE DETERRENT FROM ILLEGAL DOWNLOADING, STOPPING EVERYBODY FROM ENGAGING IN SUCH ACTIVITY. I F YOU INFRINGE COPYRIGHT LAWS, YOU COULD RECEIVE MANY DIFFERENT FINES FROM DIFFERENT SEVERITY AND COULD EVEN FACE SMALL AMOUNTS OF JAIL TIME.

W HAT ARE THE P ENALTIES OF C OPYRIGHT I NFRINGEMENT ? P EOPLE TEND TO DISREGARD THE FACT THAT THERE ARE LAWS AND PENALTIES FOR COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT. T HE PROSECUTIONS FOR COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE IN THE THE FUTURE. A N AREA THAT CRIMINAL PROSECUTIONS FOR THE CRIME IS IN THE AREA OF PIRATING CD S AND DVD S.

W HAT ARE THE P ENALTIES OF C OPYRIGHT I NFRINGEMENT ? I NFRINGER PAYS THE ACTUAL DOLLAR AMOUNT OF DAMAGES AND PROFITS. T HE LAW PROVIDES A RANGE FROM $200 TO $150,000 FOR EACH WORK INFRINGED. I NFRINGER PAYS FOR ALL ATTORNEYS FEES AND COURT COSTS. T HE C OURT CAN ISSUE AN INJUNCTION TO STOP THE INFRINGING ACTS. T HE C OURT CAN IMPOUND THE ILLEGAL WORKS. T HE INFRINGER CAN GO TO JAIL.

HOW CAN I PREVENT COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMEN T? L OOK BEFORE YOU LEAP – BEFORE YOU POST ANYTHING ONLINE, OR REPRODUCE ANYTHING ( PHOTOCOPY ETC.), READ UP ABOUT THE SPECIFIC COPYRIGHT LAWS WHICH APPLY TO THAT SITUATION. I F YOU DON ’ T YOU COULD GET IN A LOT OF TROUBLE, LET ALONE IT IS OUR ETHICAL AND MORAL DUTY TO DO SO. T HE B ASICS – NEVER DOWNLOAD MUSIC OR MOVIES ILLEGALLY, THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST COMMON FORMS OF PERPETUATING COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT. I F YOU KNOW OF A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER WHO IS ENGAGING IS SUCH ACTIVITIES, YOU SHOULD TALK TO THEM AND TELL THEM THAT WHAT THEY ARE DOING IS WRONG. I F THEY DO NOT STOP, YOU SHOULD CONTACT THE APPROPRIATE AUTHORITIES, AND REPORT THESE ILLEGAL ACTIVITIES. T O HELP PREVENT COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT, YOU CAN START A FUN AND COOL CLUB AT YOUR SCHOOL TO SPREAD THE WORD ABOUT HOW BAD IT IS.

E XAMPLES OF C OPYRIGHT I NFRINGEMENT L ET ’ S START WITH AN EASY ONE : NAPSTER NAPSTER WAS FIRST RELEASED IN 1999 BY S HAWN F ANNING, A 19- YEAR - OLD COLLEGE DROPOUT. NAPSTER NEVER ACTUALLY HANDLED FILES BEING SHARED THROUGH IT. E SSENTIALLY, NAPSTER HELD ON ITS SERVER A LIST OF FILES AND SYSTEMS SHARING FILES WITH NAPSTER. I T WAS ESSENTIALLY A DATABASE. NAPSTER ALLOWED USERS TO SHARE FILES PEER - TO - PEER ; USERS DOWNLOADED INFORMATION FROM EACH OTHERS COMPUTERS. E VEN SO, LAWSUITS WERE BROUGHT AGAINST NAPSTER BY RECORD COMPANIES AND SOME HIGH PROFILE ARTISTS.

E XAMPLES OF C OPYRIGHT I NFRINGEMENT NAPSTER WAS ESSENTIALLY SHUT DOWN. N OW, MANY OTHER SERVICES SUCH AS LIMEWIRE USE PEER - TO - PEER SHARING WHILE TRYING TO DISASSOCIATE THEMSELVES FROM COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT DONE USING THEIR SERVICE.

E XAMPLES OF C OPYRIGHT I NFRINGEMENT C OPYING MUSIC WITHOUT PAYING FOR IT IS COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT. E VEN COVERING ANOTHER BANDS SONG IS CONSIDERED COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT IF YOU DON ’ T PAY ROYALTIES OR HAVE LICENSE TO USE THE MUSIC. M ORE EXAMPLES OF COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INCLUDE BUYING PIRATED DVD S OR DOWNLOADING THEM OFF THE INTERNET. ALSO, ILLEGALLY DOWNLOADED SOFTWARE, PICTURES, AND ART ARE ALL CONSIDERED A COPYRIGHT VIOLATION. T HESE THINGS MUST ALL BE BOUGHT OR LICENSED.