Copyright Infringement

Copyright infringement is a serious problem and issue with the masses of information now available on the internet. Students, parents and other professionals are all at risk of violating copyright law if they do not understand what plagiarism is and how to avoid it. Teachers need to begin with their own example and specifically teach students how to follow copyright laws.

Understanding Plagiarism

According to the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, the definition of plagiarism – "Is the action of stealing the words or ideas of another by putting one's own name on the work or using the words of ideas of another without properly crediting that person".

Many people understand that plagiarism is copying someone else's work. But most do not know what the rules are associated with how much of the work can be copied.

The basic rule that students should be taught and enforced to follow is: give credit where credit is due. They need to write their own papers, properly source any quotations and never quote more than 50 words of a source without written permission from the original author.

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Is is Ignorance or they just do not care?

Watching movies, television or reading books, I am sure you have seen the copyright notice usually located at the beginning of these materials.

Most people never think about what the penalties are associated with infringing a copyright.

Keep in mind, this information should not be construed as legal advice. If you have questions regarding copyright violations, seek the advice of an attorney.

With the legalese out of the way, let's look at the possible penalties for violating or infringing a copyright. The penalties come in two forms: civil and criminal.

CIVIL PENALTIES

The civil penalties for copyright infringement for materials NOT registered with the Library of Congress normally include actual losses sustained by the copyright owner as the result of the infringement. This can mean reimbursing the copyright owner for any sales of material, thus, loss of income, any damages the court sees fit to impose upon the offender, which would normally include attorney fees and court costs.

A slight difference is sometimes seen in a registered copyright filed with the Library of Congress. In this case, the copyright owner can also obtain triple damages above and beyond actual damages, together with attorney fees in a copyright infringement case.

CRIMINAL PENALTIES

Criminal prosecutions involving violations of copyright law are not that common. However, many experts in the field believe that will change in the near future and we will see an increase in criminal prosecutions associated with copyright infringement.

One area in which criminal prosecutions have already become much more frequent is in cases involving wholesale pirating of copyrighted materials. In other words, people who have reproduced copyrighted materials on a large, commercial scale face criminal prosecution. This includes products such as CDs and DVDs .

The FBI warning notice that you read at the beginning of each movie indicates, the possible criminal penalty for copyright infringement is significant. If you were convicted of criminal copyright infringement you face a possible maximum penalty of up to five years in prison and up to a $250,000 monetary fine.

The internet is a breeding ground for copyright infringement. COVISERV is responsible for shutting down many sites that are profiting illegally from selling copyrighted material such as books, videos, music, and software.

CoViServ.com – Copyright Violation Service