Introduction
Creativity is a skill that brings out the uniqueness of an innovator. In consideration of the fact that individuals have different ideas that help them develop whatever works they are specialized in, cases of duplications of existing creations have been on the rise for a long time. As a result, original creators are denied the opportunity to possess the authenticity of their works. Furthermore, the gains of their jobs depreciate because many times unauthorized duplicated creations are always sold out at remarkably lower prices. It is in the quest to protect original works from an unauthorized duplication that the Copyright law was created.
Evolution of Copyright
The genesis of the copyright law is traced back when presses increased, and the need to control publication was significant. The strategy put in place to monitor the increased publication of books was to offer printers a chance to publish in England to deal with the existing competition. Consequently, the 1662 Act was implemented to censor all publications by Stationer’s Company. After years of implementation, the Act became dormant around 1695 resulting in lack of censorship from the government to publications and other multimedia creations. Consequently, for the concerns raised to be addressed, the parliament implemented the Statute of Anne that primarily focused on the grievances of printers, authors, and booksellers. Some of the conditions presented on the Statute included the need for protection of copyrighted material for fourteen years and a renewal of the same upon expiry for another fourteen years. Furthermore, booksellers were denied the monopoly in their operations and a public domain was created which led to the owner’s lack of authority on the use of an already sold publication. From the time of the Statute enactment, so many reforms have been implemented to suit the technological advancements and the needs of authors, printers, and publishers alike. For instance, as it is highlighted by the Association of Research Libraries (2017), an Act to stop online piracy was implemented in 2011 which a time when the internet had taken a peak.
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What Copyright does & how it Works
As indicated earlier, the purpose of copyright is to ensure that the works of a specified author are protected from duplication by others commonly referred to as piracy. Hence, it is the exclusive rights bestowed by a creator of a particular work to fully possess it and have the power to supply, sell and use it. The author is, therefore, the only one with rights to claim ownership and copyright of the works done. The public can only use the works of another author under permission presented in a written form. Depending on the country in question, the copyright laws are defined and implemented differently. From the American copyright law, an author can have all the rights to the use and distribute all the works created only if he accurately marks their works with the copyright mark - ©. They are also expected to register the works and ensure the evidence are safely kept. In case, the works are done by two or more creators; there must be an agreement that indicates they are all legible to possess the copyright of the creation in question. The agreement like in other cases is purposely meant to avoid disagreements and confusions. Besides written materials, other establishments that protected under copyright include music & sound recordings, dramatic creations, artistic works like pictorial, sculptures, choreography, graphics and pantomimes among others. As for the UK, there is no registration required; all original works are protected by the law.
The Future of Copyright
The first restrictions put on copyright were to ensure that unauthorized users do not resell, perform, duplicate or tamper in any way with the original creation of a particular work. Currently, materials can be accessed from various sources including online hence the emphasis on citations to honor the author. As for multimedia like music, videos and photographs can be downloaded and saved in a different format that suits the user and the device in use. Rasmus Fleischer (2008) argues that some search engines go to the extent of providing copyrighted material. Shortly from the current situation, some works will be accessed with ease and freedom offered to the audience to use them for as long as they do not take the right of copyright. Students, on the other hand, are able to make use of copyright by ensuring that every essay or assignments made recognize the original author of a particular information included to avoid plagiarism. On the other hand, they can also copyright their works to maintain their right to ownership. Currently, developers of software have made it easy for people to make use of already created codes making it easier for them to creatively incorporate it into their works.
Implications of Copyright in the Society
Copyright has ensured that the innovations that are developed now and then remain authentic encouraging creators to keep coming up with more distinct works. On the other hand, the law allows creators to earn from their works either through selling them to publishers or through royalties got from licensing (Carnes, n.d).
Conclusion
Originality is an essential bit in the creative world that enables authors and developers to stay on the lane of exercising and implementing distinct works. While a lot has changed in the copyright laws, technology is a number one influencer and the transformation of how things operate. The benefits of copyright are felt mostly by the authors and publisher since they remain to be the rightful owners of a particular work.
References
Carnes, D. (n.d.). Implications of Copyright Law . Retrieved October 12, 2017, from Legal Zoom: http://info.legalzoom.com/implications-copyright-law-20253.html
Fleischer, R. (2008, June 9). The Future of Copyright . Retrieved October 12, 2017, from Cato-Unbound: https://www.cato-unbound.org/2008/06/09/rasmus-fleischer/future-copyright
Libraries, A. o. (2017). Copyright Timeline: A History of Copyright in the United States . Retrieved October 12, 2017, from Association of Research Libraries: http://www.arl.org/focus-areas/copyright-ip/2486-copyright-timeline#.Wd8qE8Zx3IV
