http://www.artwoo.com Returned search results for copyrighted music Copyright 2008 Sun, 23 Nov 2008 03:01:18 +0000 http://www.artwoo.com/rss/copyrighted+music http://www.artwoo.com/article/when-does-copyright-expire-on-my-music http://www.artwoo.com/article/when-does-copyright-expire-on-my-music#comments Sat, 02 Jun 2007 14:24:59 +0000 copyright musiccopyrighted musicmusic worksthis means thatfreelance journalistlifetimeworry http://www.artwoo.com/article/when-does-copyright-expire-on-my-music copyrighted music isn't something you have to worry about, at least not in your lifetime. The music that you've written is copyrighted the moment you've put it onto paper or recorded it. The reason you don't have to worry about expiration is because the music is protected until 70 years after the death of the author. In the case of your music, that author would be you.

This rule about copyright music expiration was first put into place so that the families and heirs of an author could still earn royalties even after his or her death. Ultimately this means that if you've taken the steps to copyright your music and have registered the copyright, then your music will be protected throughout your lifetime until 70 years after you or the last surviving author (assuming a collaboration) is deceased.

Copyright music expiration is not something you should make a primary concern unless you are having issues of someone respecting and/or honoring your copyright at the moment. You should take comfort in the fact that as long as you are alive you are the only one who can assign your copyright to another person; and as long as you haven't given up your ownership of the music it still belongs to you.

This is different, however, if your copyrighted music was work "made for hire." If that is the case then you cannot have ownership of the music, as it never legally belonged to you, but the person or entity who hired you to produce the music. Works made for hire have different copyright music expiration than those owned by the creator. With works made for hire, the copyrights are in effect for 95 years from the original publication date or for 120 years from the creation of the work, whichever of the two is shorter. Brian Scott is a freelance journalist who covers copyright law for http://www.ResearchCopyright.com. ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/what-is-music-copyright-law http://www.artwoo.com/article/what-is-music-copyright-law#comments Fri, 10 Aug 2007 10:25:01 +0000 music copyright lawmusic recordingsmusic copyrightingmusic copyrightsmusic compositionemaildownloading music http://www.artwoo.com/article/what-is-music-copyright-law music copyright law and do not even know it. Music copyright law can be very tricky. There are multiple music copyrights that you must keep in mind =96 lyrics, composition and the recording of the music by an artist. Using someone's music may involve you acquiring many different licenses such as mechanical, synchronization, performance and publishing licenses.

Music copyright law has separate copyrights for the vocal or instrumental recordings of a composition or performance and the copyright of the written lyrics and music. Standard music copyrighting practices usually entail that the writer of the song retains the rights to the right to the music composition which the studio that did the recording of the music holds the rights of the recording. Music copyright law can get very complicated. It can involve negotiations with the writers, producers, agents, heirs and more.

Many artists and studios are upset with the decline in music sales. They are attributing this decline to people who are violating copyright laws by downloading music on the Internet. Music files are under the same copyright law as music recordings and the owners of these copyrights are entitled to royalties or compensation for the music that people are illegally downloading on the Internet.

The simple fact is you are stealing if you make copies of copyrighted music recordings without authorization. If people were sued for the music they have downloaded illegally, it could result in thousands of dollars. Music copyright law states that it is illegal to duplicate and distribute creative work. If you send someone an email with a song that you have illegally downloaded on the Internet, you could be in for some serious trouble. To put it bluntly and plainly, if you download (or upload) music that is copyrighted without permission, you are breaking the law.

Many people violate music copyright law and do not even understand how their actions are criminal. If you purchase a music CD you can make a copy of it for yourself on your MP3. However, if you then use that recording and put it on your website or blog and make it available for everyone to download, you are performing an illegal act. Even if you join a site and pay a fee to download music, you are in violation of music copyright law.

This may sound like something that would never come back to haunt you. After all, if you were caught, it would be a first time offense, right? Well, you should know that there have been first time offenders who have been fined up to $250,000 and up to five years in jail for violating music copyright law. It is so much easier to go out and pay 20 bucks for a CD.

Whether you are uploading music or downloading music, educate yourself on music copyright law. No one wants to ruin their financial future and face jail time. Enjoy music, just do it the right way! Brian Scott is a freelance journalist who covers copyright law for http://www.ResearchCopyright.com. ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-copyright-your-music-to-protect-your-future-royalties http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-copyright-your-music-to-protect-your-future-royalties#comments Sat, 28 Jul 2007 13:35:01 +0000 copyright musiccopyrighting musicrecorded musicsheet musicart musicmore commonly knowntwo different things http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-copyright-your-music-to-protect-your-future-royalties copyrighting music with registering music; these are two different things. According to the law in the United States, once you have written or recorded your music in a permanent form, it is automatically copyrighted.

Of course, it might help to first understand what it means to copyright music in the first place. A copyright is a certain legal protection that is offered to those who compose creative works, whether those works are art, music, or the written word. The U. S. Constitution states there are limits one can place on the amount of time the work is exclusively protected.

If you copyright music, this means you (and you alone) have the right to use your work or allow others to use your work. You also have the right to distribute copies of your work. Whether those copies are in the form of written or sheet music or recorded music to the public as well as the right to perform your music for the public.

There is something called Fair Use (more commonly known as the Fair Use Doctrine) that allows anyone to use your written or recorded music for the purpose of research, news reporting, commentary, or criticism. In other words, there are times when the use of copyrighted material is deemed appropriate without the consent of the one holding the copyright.

In some cases, copyrighting music alone is not enough to protect your music, at least not without going through a lot of hoops to do so. One of the things you can do to protect your copyright is provide notice of copyright. This involves writing a simple statement such as using the word "copyright," the date, and your name at the bottom of your sheet music or on the case for the recording or the actual recording itself. CDs are the most common means for recording devices today and a notice of copyright can easily be added to the exterior of your CD or on your label if you have one printed.

Why copyright music? The answer is simple: so others cannot take credit for your hard work and creative genius. For extra protection you may want to register your copyright as well. Registering your copyright will provide you with formal legal documentation of your ownership of your music should anyone attempt to claim rights to your music or dispute the true ownership/authorship of your music.

You must have your copyright registered if you wish to file a copyright infringement suit; it is, in my opinion, better to not only copyright music during the creation process, but also to register your copyright before it could possibly become an issue. Registering a copyright is not a difficult a process. Basically it involves filling out an application, paying a filing fee (check with the U. S. Copyright Office for the current amount), and a copy of the work you want to protect.

Your music doesn't have to be published to obtain a copyright. Music should be copyrighted and registered long before the publication process to protect your rights as the creator of the music. Whether you are dabbling with cute little limericks or writing masterpieces and concertos, you want to make sure to copyright music earlier rather than later for the best possible outcome should any problems arise. Brian Scott is a freelance journalist who covers copyright law for http://www.ResearchCopyright.com. Download his free e-book, "Copyright Basics" at http://ResearchCopyright.com. ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-use-copyrighted-music-legally http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-use-copyrighted-music-legally#comments Mon, 06 Aug 2007 14:35:00 +0000 public domain musicfree public domain musiccopyright musicwritten musicuse musicrecorded musicfree public domain http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-use-copyrighted-music-legally copyright music is often mistaken with free public domain music or music in which the copyright has expired. A copyright is in place for the lifetime of the author plus 70 years. If more than one songwriter has authored the music, then the copyright will be in effect for 70 years after the death of the last surviving contributor.

This copyright law was created to ensure that the heirs of the songwriter would also benefit from the royalties after the music's writer or composer was no longer living. It is important to remember that these laws are the current laws; music written at different points in time are most likely subject to different copyright laws. When searching for free copyright music it is always a good idea to search through music that is very old rather than focusing your search on more recent musical selections, as they will most likely still be protected under copyright.

When using free copyright music or public domain music, you must be certain the copy you are using is within the copyright period. Any music published before 1922 is public domain music. This does not, however, include derivatives or new versions of that music which may still be under copyright protection. Finding a copy of the music with the copyright date included, if that date is prior to 1922, is the best route to ensure you are complying with current copyright laws and you not infringing on someone else's copyright.

Written music is protected differently than recorded music. Almost every sound recording copyrighted in the United States is protected until 2067. If you need a sound recording you should either purchase one or make one of your own. You can find many free copyright music by searching on Google; which allows free use of the music and free of any royalty payments.

Copyright laws in the United States are different than they are in other countries. If you wish to use music that is or was under copyright in another country, then you must follow the laws that apply to the particular piece of music. Free copyright music is available in almost every country and many genres; the trick is finding great sources where you can easily find this music.

There is a project called Mutopia, which operates like project Gutenberg. Mutopia provides free copyright music. The Gutenberg project also has a section devoted to free sheet music, in addition to its wonderful resources for books. Each of these projects provides excellent resources to find free copyright music for whatever reason.

Whether you are a musician seeking inspiration from the music of old or hoping to find a composition -- which you can rearrange and make your own -- there are many ways you can achieve your goals that will not violate current copyright laws. The key is learning the copyright laws both where you live and countries in which the music you seek to modify. Brian Scott is a freelance journalist who covers copyright law for http://www.ResearchCopyright.com. Download his free e-book, "Copyright Basics" at http://ResearchCopyright.com. ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/small-business-copyright-issues http://www.artwoo.com/article/small-business-copyright-issues#comments Sun, 02 Dec 2007 11:20:01 +0000 copyright protectionnapstera9protection onelegal protectioncopyright lawcopyrighted music http://www.artwoo.com/article/small-business-copyright-issues
to copy the work to modify the work to distribute the work to perform the work publicly to display the work publicly

Copyright is important when you obtain content for your site, and in the protection of your content. Copyrightable works are usually on the form of text, image, music, etc. Facts, titles, recipes, form designs, alphabetical lists and other items do not have the required "originality" to merit copyright protection.

One of the misconceptions about copyright protection is that you have to register your work to gain legal protection. If you do protect your original works, you are more likely to win attorneys' fees and, sometimes, higher damages.

The term "Public Domain" does not mean that everything in public or on the Internet is free from copyright protection. It refers to items that either do not qualify for copyright protection, or for which the protection has expired. The default you should assume for other people's works is that they are copyrighted and may not be copied unless you know otherwise.

The correct form for a notice on your web site is: "Copyright [dates] by [author/owner]"

You can use C in a circle =A9 instead of "Copyright" but "(C)" has never been given legal force. The phrase "All Rights Reserved" used to be required in some nations but is now not legally needed most places.

Even if you don't charge anyone for a product that contains copyrighted materials, you are still violating the law. An example of such an unlawful act would be when Napster enabled widescale download of copyrighted music.

One exception would be fair use. Copyright law does not block your freedom to express your own works. For example, you may be reviewing an article from a news paper's web site that requires you to reproduce some of the work on your site is not the same as simply copying the work to your site so you don't have to create your own work. Of course, that does not mean that you can start posting articles from other web sites and pretend you are reviewing them, but you are simply stealing content to cut corners.

One of the key to the fair use doctrine is that you can not diminish the value of the original work. Copying just 300 words from Gerald Ford's 200,000 word memoir for a magazine article was ruled as not fair use, in spite of it being very newsworthy, because it was the most important 300 words - why he pardoned Nixon. George Meszaros with Webene http://www.webene.com ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/free-kazaa-lite-how-to-download-the-legal-kazaa-lite http://www.artwoo.com/article/free-kazaa-lite-how-to-download-the-legal-kazaa-lite#comments Sat, 23 Aug 2008 21:43:33 +0000 file sharing softwarefree kazaakazaa litemusic on the internetmusic filestype of musicvideo files http://www.artwoo.com/article/free-kazaa-lite-how-to-download-the-legal-kazaa-lite music on the Internet may sometimes be illegal. Copying or reproducing files that have copyrights is truly punishable by law. That is why some websites offers the users downloadable music files with a certain fee. This fee is used to pay the holder of the copyright.

There are many benefits that a copyright holder has. One of which is that he can financially gain anything out of the material. If the material is sold to other people, then it is illegal. The holder also has the right to do anything that he prefers out of his product. He has the right to choose who can use his material be it with fee or for free. So, technically, everything that uses his work should be credited to the holder.
Music files that can be downloadable though the Internet is sometimes very expensive. However, with a little perseverance, anyone can search the Internet for some websites which offers different downloadable music files for free. Many sites offer the users this service through peer-to-peer sharing. Everyone has the right to upload any file that he likes. However, these files should never be copyrighted materials. One is free enough to upload his own picture, movies, videos or other software in the Internet. By using some of the available peer sharing services, another user can view, and download these files.

One example of this site which offers the Internet users free download of music files is the Free Kazaa Lite (http://www.freekazaalite.net). The site offers its members unlimited downloadable music, movie, or video files. More than 800 million of materials are available online. Additionally, Free Kazaa Lite is a simple file sharing software which enable its users to upload one's music and other files to the Internet. He can also access it anytime he wants. The user also has the capability to download the files that other Free Kazaa Lite users have uploaded. Thus, each type of music can be found in the site. It is simply up for the person to search for the best quality file available in the vast website. The site also has DVD quality movies, games, and other software programs.

These programs and files are uploaded by various members of the website. And the site urges its member not to upload and share files that are copyrighted. Since doing so would mean a violation of the laws governing copyright laws. The responsibility should be shared between the users and the owner of the website.

There are many benefits that a user can get from the Free Kazaa Lite website. It is but right to obey the rules of the owner and other governing laws applicable in file sharing. The music and movie industry should not be affected by the millions of mp3s available in the Internet. There are many users that can avail of the many benefits of the site and this will only continue if everyone would continuously follow the rules set by recognized authorities. After understand and following all the rules, the members can now enjoy the songs in the website. For more info please visit FreeKazaaLite.netDownload any digital file including music, movies, images, software with millions of others! Discover the freedom and download Free Kazaa Now from http://freekazaalite.net/]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/is-kazaa-lite-legal http://www.artwoo.com/article/is-kazaa-lite-legal#comments Sat, 23 Aug 2008 11:08:41 +0000 different musicmovie filesshare filesanonymityearningsconcertsintellectual property http://www.artwoo.com/article/is-kazaa-lite-legal intellectual property wherein a person who has a copyright of his work have the right to determine who can use his work from those who cannot. Also, the person should first be contacted for his approval before using his work or any part of it. This means that using his work in any form without his notice would mean a violation of his copyright which is punishable by law. Another benefit of a copyright holder is that the earnings from his work should definitely go to him and not to anyone else. The use of his works to gain money without his permission is illegal since every proceed from the copyrighted material should be given to the holder. So having said that is Kazaa Lite legal?

That is why any form of copying or sharing a copyrighted file is illegal. However, there are many sites available on the Internet that allows users to download songs and other files. This is a clear violation of the copyright holders of the files. The Internet made it easier for anyone to share files with many people. And it is more difficult to monitor since the Internet has anonymity.

However, there are other sites from which persons can share their own files. One of which is Kazaa Lite and the question remains is Kazaa Lite legal? Unlike other websites from where a person can download different songs, movies, and other files that are actually owned by some other people, Kazaa Lite is different. It uses a software form where a member can search from the database the different music, or movie files. The members can also upload their own files for others to use. The site is a simple file sharing site for the members.

Therefore Kazaa Lite is legal since the members are the ones exchanging files. In view of the fact that each individual has the right to listen and record to different bands and concerts, it is also legal for them to access the Internet and share them to whomever they feel like to. File sharing is not illegal however, the users should be very aware of the copyright laws. Following these laws is beneficial to make sure that everything is under the law and no one violates them.

So if you are still asking "is kazaa lite legal?" The answer is yes. The internet users can freely visit the site and download the music, or movie that he likes. To download legal version please visit www.FreeKazaaLite.net This site offers various types and genres that are very interesting. Simply visit their website and start downloading. Members can also share their own songs to the public. The website also encourages each user to be responsible in uploading their files. The files should never be copyrighted.

Through this website, anyone can get a hold of his favorite song and listen to it as many times as he likes to. Also, hard to find movies can be found in the website. What a user can do is to be a member, log in, search for the files that he likes, and enjoy it. So now that you have the answer to the question is Kazaa Lite legal? You can sign up at www.FreeKazaaLite.netDownload any digital file including music, movies, images, software with millions of others! Discover the freedom and download Kazaa Lite Now from http://freekazaalite.net/]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/copyright-in-the-classroom http://www.artwoo.com/article/copyright-in-the-classroom#comments Mon, 10 Apr 2006 14:16:08 +0000 public domain photosroyalty free photosgoogle searchfree public domainstock xchangeclip art servicecopyright law http://www.artwoo.com/article/copyright-in-the-classroom Copyright Law says that in most cases you can allow your students to use copyrighted material such as songs, photos, and other media as long as the finished product is not going to be reproduced and distributed.

Fact #2- In real life (outside the classroom) doing the same thing is illegal and a violation of copyright law punishable by fines and/or jail time.

Because of the latter I always recommend that teachers give their students the tools and information to complete projects using free, public domain alternatives. Say for example you assign your students to create a Power Point presentation on a specific topic. In the assignment you mandate that the presentation must include at least one graphic on each slide relevant to this topic. Rather than allowing the students to go out on the web and "steal" images from other sites, demonstrate how to find legal content during your initial presentation. Such photos and other content are easy to find, just do a Google search for "public domain photos," or "royalty free photos," for example. One of my personal favorites is the Stock XChange but there are many others.

Another good alternative that some schools possess is a site license subscription to a clip art service. For a flat fee schools and local area education agencies can purchase annual subscriptions to various sites which allow their students and faculty with free, legal access to thousands of copyrighted photos that can be used in most kinds of presentations without restriction. The site Clipart.com offers this type of service.

Remember, while some sites openly allow you to use their images in any publication you choose, others will restrict what you can use it for and how it can be reproduced. Always check the usage policy or copyright policy on the site before using any images or other content in a presentation. By insisting that your students follow these rules you are helping to instill a definite sense of right and wrong in regard to this very "grey" issue. About The Author: Chad Criswell is a career music educator in northeast Iowa. Mr. Criswell hosts a web site dedicated specifically to music education topics of interest to students, parents, and teachers located at http://www.musicedmagic.com.. He is also the music appreciation section editor for http://musicappreciation.suite101.com ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/free-kazaa-is-kazaa-lite-better-then-kazaa http://www.artwoo.com/article/free-kazaa-is-kazaa-lite-better-then-kazaa#comments Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:57:32 +0000 kazaa litefree kazaamovie filesdifferent musicmillion filesquality mp3music files http://www.artwoo.com/article/free-kazaa-is-kazaa-lite-better-then-kazaa movie files through the Internet would normally require the users some fees. This is done by some websites to control the downloading of its users and because the files are legal, some amount are to be paid to the owners of the files like the owner of the songs, etc. However, this is not applicable to all Internet sites. Users can search for websites that offers them quality mp3, and movie files that can be downloaded for free. Kazaa offers its users free and unlimited download of mp3s, video, and movie files. There are also over 800 million files uploaded in their website from which the users can choose from. This is definitely a less hassle

By being a member of the website, the user can upload and download various mp3s, and even DVD copy movie files. This is a more convenient and less expensive way to get a hold of one's favorite songs and videos. Also, since many members of the site, various hard to find movies can also be found in the site. The user simply needs to search for the files that he likes, download it, or he can automatically watch it.

To abide by the copyright laws of different countries, the site advises its members to follow the rules governing copyright. Sharing files without the consent of the owner is punishable by law, so anyone who does not follow the rules will be made liable to be punished by the authorities. Is Kazaa Lite legal? Since it is not the one who uploads files for the users Kazaa Lite is legal. It only serves as a database from which many users can upload, download, and share the different music files of their choice. Since anyone can record any band and concerts that they like, the users also have their own right to share it with others. This makes the Free Kazaa Lite legal.

The users now have the access to unlimited songs that he enjoys. And what's more interesting and appealing is that the downloading of any file in the site is definitely free. This is possible since it is a peer-to-peer file sharing service. One can download the files from the other Kazaa users.

The Kazaa Lite is another improvement of the Kazaa. It is a spyware free software and it is safer to be used. Since music piracy deeply brings down the music industry down, it is first to be noted that the users should never upload copyrighted materials to the web. This way, the website will stay legal and all of its contents are following the laws governing copyright. Also, the website encourages that the users only upload and download their own copy of the files. Downloading copyrighted files would mean that the user also is a part of music piracy.

To stay legal and safe, the users should choose this legal website that offers downloading and file sharing like the Free Kazaa Lite website http://FreeKazaaLite.net

Users are the ones who benefits from file sharing so they should be the first to follow the rules.Download any digital file including music, movies, images, software with millions of others! Discover the freedom and download Free Kazaa Lite Now from http://freekazaalite.net/]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/why-you-must-obey-movie-copyright-laws-in-the-digital-age http://www.artwoo.com/article/why-you-must-obey-movie-copyright-laws-in-the-digital-age#comments Fri, 27 Jul 2007 16:34:59 +0000 colleges and universitiescopyright infringementcopyright lawscollege studentsinfringement claimsillegal downloadingillegally http://www.artwoo.com/article/why-you-must-obey-movie-copyright-laws-in-the-digital-age copyright laws. Not surprisingly, the biggest violators of the movie copyright laws are students. The movie industry is sending out copyright infringement claims to college universities around the country. One reason that college students may be the hardest hit is that they are not aware of how serious a crime copyright infringement is.

Many college students who have lawsuits brought against them are shocked, to say the least. They question why they were not warned about the perils of downloading movies and songs online and passing them along to friends. However, with the rise of claims, no one can claim ignorance for much longer. Word is being spread near and far that if you engage in illegal downloading and/or sharing, then you can be brought to court. College students are learning the hard way that it is against the law and in violation of copyright laws to share or download copyrighted material. Many colleges and universities now state in their handbooks that it is against the law to illegally download movies, music and other forms of media using school computers.

In addition to illegal downloading and sharing movies, the files take up space on the computer systems and use a considerable amount of bandwidth. While most universities and colleges will not look at the content an individual has -- they can isolate and identify the individuals who are hogging up bandwidth by using illegal file sharing.

The movie and music industries have stepped in and are demanding restitution for illegally downloaded movies, music and other forms of copyrighted media. They have detection agencies that have the technology to identify and trace copyright infringements straight to their source. Once the computer is located they can notify the university or the college that they are in violation. The university will be told that they have a copyright infringement claim against them. Based on the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, once the computer is isolated, then Internet access is terminated to that computer and court proceedings can begin.

Does this sound far fetched? Well, it is not. You should know that a few years ago Recording Industry Association of America sued four students. These students attended Princeton, Michigan Technical University and Rensselear Polytechnic Institute. One student had an estimated liability of $150 billion. When you consider that you can be charged $750 per song that you illegally download, the total can add up fast! The good thing is the lawsuits against the college students were settled for amounts less than $20,000. That is not pocket change for college students -- or anyone for that matter!



Movies and music are meant to be enjoyed. However, illegally downloading movies and music is not much different than walking into a video store and sticking DVDs and CDs in your pocket. Be careful. You do not want to be caught violating any movie copyright laws. Brian Scott is a freelance journalist who covers copyright law for http://www.ResearchCopyright.com. Download his free e-book, "Copyright Basics" at http://ResearchCopyright.com. ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/download-legal-free-music-for-ipod http://www.artwoo.com/article/download-legal-free-music-for-ipod#comments Tue, 21 Aug 2007 22:25:00 +0000 free ipod downloadsipodipodslawsuits filedriaafree musicfortunately http://www.artwoo.com/article/download-legal-free-music-for-ipod free music for ipods. But is it true?

Well, I have to tell you that you can find many songs on the web that are free to download. But the downloads from these sites are most certainly illegal and you could find yourself in a lot of hot water if you download them.

I'm sure you've heard of the thousands of lawsuits filed by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) against people who downloaded copyrighted songs or movies to their computer or ipod. These people have been forced to pay thousands of dollars in fines just because they wanted to grab a few songs for free.

You don't want to end up in court over some silly song do you?

Fortunately, there is a way to download legal free music for ipods. Well, almost free.

A paid membership site lets you download as many songs and videos your ipod can hold for just one small fee. That's a lot better than paying 99 cents for every song you want to download from other sites.

Think about it. The typical paid membership site charges around $39 for a lifetime membership which includes unlimited downloads. You could easily find and download 500 of your favorite songs while still only paying $39.

Compare that to other sites that charge per song. Five hundred songs at 99 cents each would cost you $495! Ouch!

It's obvious that a paid membership site is a much better deal.

Plus, they have a massive selection of music in every genre you could name, they offer technical assistance if you have a hard time downloading a song, and you can download free legal music for ipods with a clear conscience and no fear of lawsuits and legal bills.

If you're downloading free ipod downloads, you may be breaking the law and you could face serious fines or even jail time. Is it worth the risk? Instead join a membership site that charges one small fee for all the downloads you can handle. Written by Mike Collins. To download 1000's of songs to your ipod free and legally, check out http://www.download-zone.info download legal free music for ipod ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/why-are-people-accused-of-copyright-infringement http://www.artwoo.com/article/why-are-people-accused-of-copyright-infringement#comments Mon, 21 May 2007 19:14:58 +0000 copyright infringementpeer file sharing serviceyoutubenapsterfile sharing servicekazaapeer to peer file sharing http://www.artwoo.com/article/why-are-people-accused-of-copyright-infringement copyright infringement, many different things can happen to them. First, copyright infringement is both a civil and criminal crime, so people caught of copyright infringement are likely to get both sued and tried in criminal court. Because of the nature of copyright laws, if and when people are caught of copyright infringement, it's likely they will get repercussions from far and wide.

People are always looking for others violating copyright laws. Copyright owners and/or agents surf the Internet, so they may find the violations themselves. Usually, if someone finds a person violating their copyright rights, they'll notify the person or entities involved and ask they permanently remove the content, if it's available on the Internet. They do this by either asking the person directly to take it down, or demanding the website server to take it down (which they will, immediately, and probably suspend the account). If the person or entity hosting the violation doesn't take it down, more serious actions will be taken, such as a lawsuit or criminal charge.



People caught for copyright infringement do not automatically go to jail, although some entities like major television, music, movie publishers and distribution channels may lead you to believe otherwise. For example, many people are caught for copyright infringement at YouTube.com, but they only need to take down the material. In many cases, YouTube.com will take the material down before the poster (the person who put the copyrighted information on the site to begin with) has a chance to see the warning.

Other times, a work will be present on a peer to peer file sharing service, such as Kazaa or Napster, and the host of said service will blame the end user (you!). So, even if you found a file on a file sharing service, such as Kazaa, doesn't mean the copyright is open for you to take it. Many people caught of copyright infringement have been found through these peer to peer networks, and it has been found that the user who downloads the material gets charged and not the file sharing service. Be careful, if you are ever to use a peer to peer service such as Kazaa (or bit torrent, which is the code/program for another type of peer to peer file distribution tool) that you're only downloading, and sharing, items that aren't copyrighted works -- or you could be punished severely.

Sometimes, people are caught of file sharing from their IP addresses -- because they download something from a secure site, their servers can track your IP address (your unique location on the Internet, four sets of numbers, separated by periods, with at most three numbers in each set -- i.e. 216.239.51.100 which is the IP address of Google.com). So even if you think you've bypassed the copyright law, you can still be found years later by tracing that IP address.

There are many ways to find people caught of copyright infringement. You can search through Google.com or look through newspaper databases. One thing, however, remains the same in all these cases -- people are downloading, sharing, or in some other way using copyrighted materials. The problem is, especially in the Internet age, is that even if you're using something anonymously, you can still be tracked -- and prosecuted -- for the infringement. Be careful, in all you download or use, have the rights to use the item --sometimes it's as simple as asking permission that will keep you from getting sued or sent to jail. Brian Scott is a freelance journalist who covers copyright law for http://www.ResearchCopyright.com ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/introduction-to-copyrights-patents-and-trademarks http://www.artwoo.com/article/introduction-to-copyrights-patents-and-trademarks#comments Mon, 18 Dec 2006 22:27:35 +0000 copyright actcopyrighted materialspublic domainold picturestrange voicessleep at nightlife span http://www.artwoo.com/article/introduction-to-copyrights-patents-and-trademarks
Let's consider the example of a story: a poor man who found lots of cash on his way back to his home from his work. He decided to keep the cash to improve his financial situation. But he could not sleep at night because he was haunted by strange voices that told him to find the owner and return the cash. This idea cannot be protected. Anybody can write a short story based on the idea. What is protected is how the author expresses the idea in the form of texts, illustrations, drawings, photographs, etc.

Once an expression is copyrighted, others can still use it for fair use. You can tape a few 15 seconds video clips from a copyrighted TV programs and post it in your video blogs about a commentary on the program or broadcaster, etc. This will be considered a fair use and you will not infringe the copyright.

After a copyrighted material expires, it falls into the public domain. The life of a copyrighted material is the life of the author, plus 70 years. The public domain copyrighted materials can be reproduced without any infringement. For example, if you have an old picture with expired copyright, you can post the picture in your website.

In the USA, the Copyright Act of 1976 governs all copyrights. The Copyright Act does not protect any ideas, procedures, process, systems, and methods of operations, concepts, principle or discovery regardless of how it is expressed. It is the expression that is protected by the Copyright Act. You cannot copyright titles, names, slogans, and short phrases even if those have new ideas.

As mentioned earlier, the life span of a copyrighted material is the author's life, plus 70 years in most cases. There are a few exceptions to this rule and they are: un-renewed copyrighted materials published pre-1964, materials published before 1978 without a copyrighted notice, and materials published by the US Government.

All copyrighted materials should be fixed in a tangible medium (papers, CDs, DVDs, etc.). If it is not fixed in a tangible medium, it is not copyrighted. For example, your speech to the graduating class that was never recorded, taped, or published is not protected under the US Copyright Act. Your can register your copyrighted materials with the US Copyright Office. All expressions of ideas are copyrighted regardless it is registered with the Copyright Office or not. If you register the expression with the Copyright Office, you can receive statutory damages and attorney's fees if an infringement occurs. If the material is not registered with the Copyrighted Office, you can only recover actual damages.

A patent holder of an invention has the right to exclude others from using, selling, and making the invention. The United States Patent Office (USPTO) awards patents. There are three kinds of patents: utility, design, and plant patents.

The most frequently used patents are utility patents. They have a life span of 20 years from the effective filing date if the filing date is after June 8, 1995. A utility patent also requires periodic maintenance fees. A utility patent must be a novel, useful, and non-obvious process, machine, manufacture, or compositions of matter or improvement to the same. There are three things that define a utility patent. First, it must be novel. Nobody should have invented, published, used, or manufactured the invention before. Second, one should be able to do some thing useful with the invention. If it is just novel without any usefulness, it cannot be patented. A patentable invention should not be obvious to the person with ordinary skills in the same technology space related to the invention.

A design patent is the appearance or aesthetic of an article and it has a life span of 14 years after the patent is issued. A plant patent, as the name applies, protects a distinct plant produced asexually. It has life span of 20 years from the filing date.

A trademark is word, symbol, design, or a combination of one or more of these items. It is used to identify the source of goods or services of one company and differentiate a company's goods and services from others. A trademark should not be confusingly similar to other existing names or symbols.

A trademark is registered with the USPTO. It can also be registered through the state's Secretary of State's office. If the trademark is not registered, the rights to the trademark may be geographically limited. You cannot use the symbol ® to represent a mark if it is not registered.

If you want to maintain a trademark for your business, you must actively use it. Just registering a trademark without using it actively will result in diminished rights over time. Never allow a trademark to become a generic word. For example, the trademark "Aspirin" by Bayer has become a generic word to represent acetylsalicylic acid. Others can use it without causing any infringement. When you see a trademark used by authors as a noun or a verb, it may become a generic word. Trademark owners vigorously pursue authors from using the trademark as a noun or a verb. A trademark should always be used as an adjective. For example, Google is preventing others from using the word Google as a verb. Dr. Deepak Dutta is the creator of http://www.semanticbay.com - an interactive social network website based on user shared text and picture contents on any topics. His other website http://www.classifiedsforfree.com - is one of the oldest online classifieds site. ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-produce-films-on-a-shoe-string-budget http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-produce-films-on-a-shoe-string-budget#comments Thu, 24 Jul 2008 17:15:16 +0000 amateur filmmakersbudget filmlow budgetmovie makerdigital camerascolor schemetime money http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-to-produce-films-on-a-shoe-string-budget budget film nowadays is a lot easier to do then it was just a few decades ago. There is a plethora of tools and resources out there to assist today's movie maker with whatever they need to get done. Amateur filmmakers can turn to books to increase their knowledge and inspire new ideas. The purpose of utilizing this assistance is so that one can channel their creativity in to a physical, meaningful form. No matter how advanced your tools are, however, it will not matter without creativity and direction backing them up.

Unfortunately, a filmmaker is forced to make compromises when producing a work. While the tendency and urge to try to develop everything exactly the way you want it may be great, it will destroy you in the end. Working on one scene for too long is time, money, and labor intensive, and ultimately whatever comes out will not be worth what is put in. Therefore, be willing to compromise, as even the most successful directors need to do so at some points.

Whenever someone makes a mistake in filmmaking, or there is something negative about a scene, they sometimes assume that the error can be corrected in post production, or editing. This is true occasionally, but the best course of action is to try to make everything as perfect as possible during the actual filming. Then, not only is editing easier, but you have more time to focus on details that otherwise could not be attended to. Being lazy decreases the quality of one's work, so it is critical that you work hard and be attentive to everything.

Many of the digital cameras available on the market today are packed with lots of incredible features and attributes. You can change the color scheme of shots, stretch them, and do a multitude of other alterations. However, the vast amount of tools available can actually be a detrimental thing. Having dozens of options to choose from means spending more time making a decision. Also, you may be tempted to use something just because it is there, even if it does not contribute anything of substance to the film. In fact, many times it is best to just simply ignore the extra features, and film scenes in a regular view. Doing this eliminates many distractions and keeps you focused on what really matters.

Take the time to plan out everything you are going to do. It is easy to get caught up in the excitement of movie making and start filming right away. Before the camera even gets turned on, many variables and factors need to be considered, and schedules and plans need to be drawn up. Poor planning is the downfall of the majority of producers, so take your time in this phase.

When it comes to music, stick to songs that are royalty-free, or ones created exclusively for your project. If you use copyrighted music, you have to pay royalties to the artists, and it is not so much the money as it is the hassle that makes this route so troublesome. As a rule of thumb, always stay away from copyrighted music. Although you may think a certain song is perfect for one of your scenes, it is not worth the stress to acquire the right to use the song.Crelltube is The Largest Filmmaker Portal where anyone can Be Rich and Famous.]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/music-to-meditate-by http://www.artwoo.com/article/music-to-meditate-by#comments Sun, 22 Jul 2007 17:19:59 +0000 meditation musiclearn how to meditatefree mp3 downloadssome people preferhow to meditatedifferent musicuse music http://www.artwoo.com/article/music-to-meditate-by Some people prefer to meditate silently without any music but there are others who prefer to meditate with music. Different people like different music to meditate by. Some like to have music playing in the background while they meditate while others like the form of meditation that involves making music to meditate by.

Meditation is a simple and easy art and even children can easily practice it. With music to meditate by meditation can be made even more interesting for children. You get a choice of meditation music that is especially meant for children.

Whatever form of meditation you choose, it is important to remember that music to meditate by should be simple, calm, soothing and peaceful. It should induce feelings of inner peace and help you to focus. Loud music to meditate by is destructive and unproductive. It is distracting and creates feelings of chaos. The most popular musical instruments associated with meditation include the sitar, flute, Tibetan singing bow and the tambora.

While some people use music to meditate by, there are many musicians who use meditation to calm themselves and to stay focused before any major performance. If you are using music as a means of meditation, you should try and stop doing everything else and just focus on the music in order to get the full benefits of the music. It also helps you to enjoy the music more.

If you are looking for music to meditate by, there are plenty on online websites that offer different kinds of meditation music that you can buy. Some websites allow you to listen to a sample of the music so you can decide if that is what you are looking for. There are even a few websites that offer free mp3 downloads of music to meditate by. Just do an internet search on meditation music and you are sure to find something that is just right for you. Find out more about meditation music and lots of other resources to help you http://hubpages.com/hub/Learn_How_To_Meditate learn how to meditate. ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/copyright-infringement-lawsuits-affect-individuals-and-businesses http://www.artwoo.com/article/copyright-infringement-lawsuits-affect-individuals-and-businesses#comments Mon, 09 Jul 2007 14:30:00 +0000 copyright infringementinfringement lawsuitsinfringement lawsuituniversal music groupemailyoutubeebay http://www.artwoo.com/article/copyright-infringement-lawsuits-affect-individuals-and-businesses copyright infringement lawsuit can occur for any number of reasons: someone using a song in a podcast or radio program, a writer "borrowing" information from another work, copying video or mp3 off the Internet without permission (or sometimes, even to another CD or DVD). Copyright infringement lawsuits are not generally brought to the average person, unless they're downloading a LOT of music or movies, but usually for large operations: software pirates reselling goods on eBay or to some other unsuspecting victim, someone "sampling" a song to make another, or maybe a person reselling mp3s online.

When you understand the implications of it, copyright infringement lawsuits aren't frivolous as some people think. For the most part, the average person's familiarity with a copyright infringement lawsuit is taking down copyrighted material after receiving a nasty email.

If you use works from record albums by major recording stars (like Britney Spears or 50 Cent) to make a different recording as your own, then you can be sued for copyright infringement. Usually these suits will be lost because it's rather hard to prove inspiration, but they are rather costly and draining, especially if there isn't a large backing legal team.

Copyright infringement lawsuits for large enterprises can be costly and time consuming. If you work for someone, and you plagiarize someone on the company blog, the whole company can be sued, and you can be fired, for that infraction. Another large copyright infringement lawsuit is the eminent MySpace v. Universal Music Group, who is claiming that MySpace is knowingly committing copyright infringement by allowing users to upload copyrighted material. Even then, Universal Music Group has been negotiating with MySpace and couldn't come to an agreement -- then they filed suit.

Universal Music Group has an agreement with YouTube, where YouTube agrees to follow Universal's rules. It's worked out well thus far, and I think with an agreement in place "user created content" will retain a destination on the Internet.

This is a testament we all need to be with social networking sites and `user created content.' We need to watch ourselves, because many times we may not realize the veracity of our actions.

Sometimes, people break copyright laws on purpose. There is a huge market for pirated software -- from Windows to Photoshop to The Sims. It's very easy to share peer-to-peer, and because of that, people can resell pirated copies for a high price -- all profit. Or they'll download MP3 and resell them; or eBooks. People who resell these items get nasty penalties -- with both copyright infringement lawsuits and criminal cases. They'll pay a hefty fine and go to jail.

Copyright infringement lawsuits can affect any one of us -- from our friends on MySpace to our employer, to the computer geek down the street. It's easy to violate copyrights, and you have to watch yourself. The chances are good that you won't be involved in a major copyright infringement lawsuit, but you still need to ensure you're following copyright laws.

Copyright infringement lawsuits are important to determine what is, and isn't, applicable to copyright laws. Because of these lawsuits, our laws have changed regarding Fair Use, Internet use, and the Electronic Frontier Foundation and CreativeCommons.com. The lawsuits help us to understand what is, and what isn't fair -- and these organizations have helped the masses to understand what's so important about copyright, and why we need to defend our freedom of speech. Brian Scott is a freelance journalist who covers copyright law for http://www.ResearchCopyright.com. Download his free e-book, "Copyright Basics" at http://ResearchCopyright.com. ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/copyright-infringement-cases-can-teach-us-to-obey-copyright-laws http://www.artwoo.com/article/copyright-infringement-cases-can-teach-us-to-obey-copyright-laws#comments Wed, 25 Jul 2007 13:25:00 +0000 copyright infringement casecopyright infringement casesprinceton university presssupreme courtcopyright lawfeist publicationstelephone service co http://www.artwoo.com/article/copyright-infringement-cases-can-teach-us-to-obey-copyright-laws Copyright infringement cases can be both costly and time consuming. Considering copyright infringement is something that isn't as easily defined as theft or speeding, there are numerous copyright infringement cases changing the way copyright law is viewed in the U.S. By reviewing a few of these copyright infringement cases, you can get a better idea of what is, and what is not, acceptable use of copyrighted works.

As a forward, however, you'll need to know something about copyright law. Most copyright lawsuits are brought to the courts because a copyright owner has found their copyright is being used outside the copyright laws. This usually means the copyright holder hadn't been asked for permission to use the work; or if they had, the work is not being used in an agreed-upon context or they have not been paid royalties. The copyright infringement cases, listed below, sample of what goes to the Supreme Court in copyright infringement.

Feist Publications v. Rural Telephone Service Co (6th Cir. 1996)

This copyright infringement case was brought to the Supreme Court in 1996 regarding the copyright of a database. The Supreme Court, in this instance, decided that compilations of data (such as in a database) are only protected by copyright when they are "arranged and selected in an original manner." Although the level of originality needed to make the database copyright-able is not very high, the pages of a directory (such as a phone book) are not protected because the data contained therein is arranged geographically, then alphabetically. Because of this, the data was not original enough to warrant a copyright infringement charge. The competing telephone company was allowed to tap into their competitors' database and use that data in their own work without liability.

Princeton University Press v. Michigan Document Services, Inc (6th Cir 1996)

This case has to do with the Fair Use law, which is defined in the Copyright Act of 1976, 17 U.S.C. =A7 107. In this case, a photocopying service was sued for copyright infringement for making "course packs" for the University of Michigan. In this case, a course pack was a group of reading materials assigned by a professor -- then the course pack was bound together by a professional copy shop.

In the Fair Use system, there is a system available for payment of copyright fees to publishers whose works are used in course materials. The printing shop owner refused to pay the copyright cost. When it went to the Supreme Court, they analyzed the Fair Use code and found that it was NOT Fair Use, and the printing shop had to pay the copyright costs.

As you can see, copyright infringement cases are cases in which someone violates the rights of a copyright owner, as provided by 17 USC =A7106, or of the author as provided in =A7106A. These copyright infringement cases can be taken to either criminal or civil court, and can carry with it a hefty fine.

Copyright infringement cases are brought upon people who violate copyrights every day. In recent times, you'll find many copyright cases in relation to electronic copyrights -- such as those you'd find on a website or PDF file, as well as other digital media such as music and audio files.

It's probable that you've seen copyright cases brought against the common person -- such as a child or family -- for downloading digital music in the form of MP3s. In the current Internet age, it's not surprising to see so many music and video copyright cases brought to us because of peer to peer file sharing made possible by the Internet. You can be certain that until people know the rules of copyright, and downloading copyrighted material from the Internet, we'll see many more copyright cases. Brian Scott is a freelance journalist who covers copyright law for http://www.ResearchCopyright.com. Download his free e-book, "Copyright Basics" at http://ResearchCopyright.com. ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-does-music-copyright-infringement-affect-me http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-does-music-copyright-infringement-affect-me#comments Sun, 05 Aug 2007 10:35:01 +0000 music copyright infringementcopyright infringement casesbootleg recordingsaudio recordingsvideo recordingsmyspacewikipedia http://www.artwoo.com/article/how-does-music-copyright-infringement-affect-me Music copyright infringement happens all around us every day, by people downloading music from their favorite social networking site to the guy who's reselling MP3s. Most people who commit music copyright infringement don't realize that it's illegal and they can be prosecuted in the United States.

Copyright infringement, as defined by Wikipedia.org states: "Copyright infringement (or copyright violation) is the unauthorized use of material that is protected by intellectual property rights law particularly the copyright in a manner that violates one of the original copyright owner's exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce or perform the copyrighted work, or to make derivative works that build upon it. The slang term bootleg (derived from the use of the shank of a boot for the purposes of smuggling) is often used to describe illicitly copied material."

We've all heard of "bootleg" recordings -- usually audio recordings taken from concerts and sold on home made cassettes or CDs and distributed (sometimes out of the trunk of a car) to anyone who will buy. Bootleg recordings have changed, as music copyright infringement has branched into video recordings. Music copyright infringement has exploded with the advent of the Internet, and now people from all over the world are sharing every type of imaginable file -- from eBooks to audio to music. Small label artists began feeling the pinch years ago.

Many new and older artists are beginning to see the beauty of the Internet, and are offering their music for sale track-by-track on iTunes and other MP3 sales websites, as well as through their own band websites and MySpace pages. The Internet has helped up-and-coming musicians become visible, while at the same time, drastically increasing the number of music copyright infringement cases.

Music copyright infringement cases have helped to create organizations which protect the Fair Use of an item, such as a song. Organizations such as CreativeCommons.com and the Electronic Frontier Foundation help individuals know their rights under copyright laws.

While there are organizations that help you understand your rights as a purchaser of copyright use, there are organizations that want to limit the ways in which you use the products you buy. It is rumored, for example, that record distribution and production companies want to limit the ways in which you use the music you buy -- they don't want you to put it on your computer or make a Mix Tape or CD from it -- for fear of "sharing."

When music publishers and distribution companies limit uses like this, they're creating a tidal wave of music copyright infringement cases. By limiting the use of purchased material, the companies are alienating their client base and pushing all their sales away from physical products and toward electronic ones -- which are much harder to control.

A way these companies tried to limit the use was by creating a DRM program, which severely limited where a CD could be played (on one computer, for instance). And, in one drastic measure, Sony placed a DRM program on all their CDs a few years ago, and severely crippled several networks when their "program" was actually malware that seriously crippled network security.

As you can see, music copyright infringement is something that is currently being fought between end users and music production and distribution companies. In this new century, we must find a way to retain copyright, and allow the customers to use the products they buy in a meaningful way, or otherwise the market will shift and the industry as we know it will be abandoned. Brian Scott is a freelance journalist who covers copyright law for http://www.ResearchCopyright.com. Download his free e-book, "Copyright Basics" at http://ResearchCopyright.com. ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-motion-picture-association-of-america-and http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-motion-picture-association-of-america-and#comments Wed, 12 Apr 2006 04:00:06 +0000 motion picture association of americampaacable tv systemssignal theftdigital picturefrieslegitimate http://www.artwoo.com/article/the-motion-picture-association-of-america-and MPAA

The MPAA (Motion Picture Association of America) is the national voice of anti piracy laws. The MPAA defines copyright theft as: signal theft, theatrical print theft, digital picture theft (from the internet), unauthorized public performance of copyrighted work, and optical disc and videocassette theft. In the recent years the MPAA has played a major role in identifying and filing lawsuits against people who are liable for these kinds of thefts.

Some people may ask: "what constitutes these kinds of thefts?" or "does the MPAA really go after the small fries?" The truth is that the MPAA considers any kind of illegal duplication or performance of copyrighted pieces of material theft punishable to the full extent of the laws broad arm. And yes, they will go after the "small fries" as well as the big profiteers.

Here are some definitive answers to what constitutes some kinds of actions considered thefts by the MPAA:

• Theatrical print theft: Stealing the physical film from an authorized showing establishment, or straight from the studio. This form of theft is serious because it allows the thief to make high quality duplicates of the film for personal use or to resell for profit.

• Signal theft: when someone illegally taps into cable TV systems and receives programs usually paid for by the viewer at no cost. Many thieves have made substantial amounts of money selling devices specially designed to tap into cable or receive unauthorized satellite transmissions.

• Digital picture theft (via the internet): the internet can be easily utilized to download stolen or decoded movies. Some people are unaware that this kind of action is a theft! These things are considered a theft because they are taken from the internet without prior consent to the copyright owner. Just because money was exchanged (which many internet download sites and programs may ask of you to do to trick you into thinking it is a legitimate service) DOES NOT mean that it is legitimate. Even illegally hosting and streaming music for others, who did not purchase the music, is considered illegal.

The MPAA goes through great efforts to catch and prosecute offenders. Besides, how would you feel if you spent millions of dollars and thousands of hours producing a movie to sell to the public and instead of seeing profit for your hard work and time spent, you see nothing? This is why the MPAA considers such acts as those stated above as stealing. About The Author: Charles Weber is an upcoming writer who researches various topics concerning the internet, media production, and other current events topics. Content should be taken as information and not legal advice. His website with more information about copyrights can be found http://www.aboutcopyrights.com . Must include link. ]]> http://www.artwoo.com/article/what-is-copyright-infringement http://www.artwoo.com/article/what-is-copyright-infringement#comments Wed, 08 Aug 2007 16:15:01 +0000 copyright infringementcontactrules of engagementwikipediaintellectual property rightsstrict liabilitycopyright laws http://www.artwoo.com/article/what-is-copyright-infringement Copyright laws are constantly changing. Knowing exactly what copyright infringement is, whether you're creating an eBook, publishing articles, using music as a backtrack to your podcast, is important. Although copyright laws change from one jurisdiction to another, knowing the basic rules of copyright infringement will ensure you're following the proper rules of engagement when you create your works. Before you make any final decisions regarding the use of a work that has been copyrighted, always contact a copyright attorney to ensure you're following the law -- this will keep you from being sued or, even worse, punished in a court of law.

What is Copyright Infringement?

Copyright infringement, as defined by Wikipedia.org, states: "Copyright infringement (or copyright violation) is the unauthorized use of material that is protected by intellectual property rights law particularly the copyright in a manner that violates one of the original copyright owner's exclusive rights, such as the right to reproduce or perform the copyrighted work, or to make derivative works that build upon it. The slang term bootleg (derived from the use of the shank of a boot for the purposes of smuggling) is often used to describe illicitly copied material."

So, what is copyright infringement in plain English? It means if you're not allowed to use something, then don't use it -- plain and simple. It can be very simple to get permission to use a work -- many times you'll be able to use a "sample" of music or an excerpt of writing for a nominal fee, or a small attribution. However, if you do not have the permission of the copyright holder -- whether it's an author or a publishing house -- you can be sued for copyright infringement or worse.

What is Copyright Infringement in America?

In many jurisdictions, such as the United States of America, this act is known as a strict liability crime or tort (a tort is a civil wrong -- not a criminal wrong). This means the person who infringes the copyright -- whether intentionally or not - will be responsible for the damage or loss. Also, the prosecutor (in criminal court) or plaintiff (in civil court) must only prove that the act of copying was committed by the defendant -- they do not need to prove guilty intent. This means, even if you had no intention of committing copyright fraud or infringement, you can (and in present times, in many cases, WILL) be prosecuted, even if you used the material in good faith.

What is Copyright Infringement in Action?

Many cases of copyright infringement are difficult to see to the layperson, because the violation is not limited to exact copying. In many cases, when something is inspired by another thing -- such as in music, when the inspiration of one song is used to create an entirely different song -- it's difficult to see where the new product or "thing" has crossed the line to something illegal. Some works aren't even protected by copyright, such as compilation of facts that lack the creativity necessary to be covered by copyright, or works that are in the public domain because the copyright has expired. Knowing the difference is often very difficult to see, and because of this we've seen a number of copyright infringement cases in recent years, especially in tandem with the music industry.

As you can see, copyright infringement is a very difficult, albeit necessary, act to define. However, if you make sure you're using works that are in the public domain, or have long since been out of copyright (think Beethoven or Frankenstein), you'll be safe. Do your fair share of research. Download my free e-book, "Copyright Basics," at www.ResearchCopyright.com to learn more about how to avoid copyright infringement.



What Is Copyright Music Infringement?

In recent years, copyright infringement of music has seen an unprecedented leap in scope and scale. This is largely due to online services that allow unchecked file sharing among their subscribers. While this abuse of copyright is not only limited to music, this is where we observe the most profound effects of file sharing.

Industry giants of file sharing are emerging quickly with the demise of the pioneer for illicit file sharing, Napster. The Recording Industry Association of America (or RIAA) has made copyright music infringement their primary focus. They estimate that peer-to-peer file sharing steals 4.2 billion dollars worldwide each year from the coffers of the music industry. These estimates, however, assume people would buy every piece of music they downloaded.

The RIAA has argued that new and struggling bands are less likely to continue making music because it will no longer be profitable. The bulk of musicians' incomes result in royalties, which depend entirely on the sales of their albums.

The RIAA also argues that people burning music to CDs (which they have bought) does not constitute fair use because CDs are not "unusually subject to damage"; if they do become damaged they can be replaced affordably. This assertion has raised more than a few eyebrows and is giving rise to opponents of the RIAA who claim the lawsuits and crackdowns against those presumed guilty of copyright music infringement are actually hurting music sales and the profits of the music industry.

During the height of Napster popularity (the hallmark by which all file sharing seems to be compared) CD sales were at their highest rate ever. People were exposed to music and music groups which they otherwise may not have heard without file sharing. As a result of enjoying the music by these music groups, people bought the CDs of the music they enjoyed. It's ironic that the very lawsuits designed to stop copyright music infringement have actually managed to stifle file sharing enough that CD sales are dropping noticeably around the world.

Opponents and critics also challenge that rather than being a source of copyright music infringement, peer 2 peer networks offer unprecedented exposure for new artists and their music. Another argument against the RIAA is that the reason for the lawsuits against file sharers is because they want to keep the prices for CDs over inflated while keeping the actual royalties coming to the artists relatively low. The copyright music infringement claims made by the RIAA have become suspect.

The music industry is currently working on ways where fans can legally download music. This will mean that music fans have access to the music they love from their PCs and directly to their music playing devices without resorting to illegal copyright music infringement. The truth is most people want to do the right thing and will do so if given an alternate, easy solution. Brian Scott is a freelance journalist who covers copyright law for http://www.ResearchCopyright.com ]]>