Copyright and Licensing

 David Gauntlett's theory of web 2.0 suggests that there has been a significant shift in the way we use the internet. Many people use the internet not just as consumers but also as producers of content the digital arena has opened its gates to a generation of pro-sumers, blurring the lines between these classifications. Due to this advance, it it important that creatives/producers educate themselves about computer law which covers a wide range of issues. While it governs the basis of how content is used, shared and created, its non-liner structure means that there are loopholes and grey areas making each case unique and subjective. From copyright, licensing to intellectual property rights - it is no longer an excuse that you simply didn't know.

Intellectual property rights
Definition: Rights given to persons over the creations of their mind
This right allows the creator exclusive use of their work for example trademarks, designs, discoveries, symbols and phrases. Obtaining these rights are subjective to the conditions of how the content is formed. Ideas arrived at for a client or employer does not meant that you hold the rights to them. Intellectual property rights also only safeguard ideas that have been written down or verified in some way, there must be evidence that the idea is yours. if there is ac dispute about the infringement of content can result in civil cases.

Licensing
Definition: Giving permission to use someone else's property
A licence sets the conditions under which you may or may not use a product whether software, piece of music or imagery. There are many platforms which aim to help the creative community share their workings and receive the credit and recognition for their artistry, for example creative commons.

Copyright
Definition: The exclusive right, given to the originator for a fixed number of years, to print, publish, perform, film or record literary, artistic or musical material. 
The copyright Design and Patents act 1988 is an automatic law which allows the creator to determine how their content can be used, the constraints of these rules are however contingent on national laws. The law protects the labour of the creation rather than the idea of the creation so if I have an idea about a television show this would not be protected, the execution of the idea and the production of the show would be preserved.

Technology of today has surpassed the law and legislations, so keeping up with developments within this ever changing industry has proven problematic. Disputes about copyright happen a lot more often than I thought among creatives so comprehending the fundamental structure of computer law has been extremely insightful for me. Understanding the fundamental legalities of this business will help me in future to protect myself and my interests when creating content and starting contracts with clients. Everything has been done before, resulting in the line between imitation and inspiration very thin. Prevention is better than cure so the importance of explicitly expressing my ideas and logging them by date and taking general precautions is an approach I am aiming to adopt.