| As the Internet matures, users and | | | | without the consent or permission from the |
| governments are struggling to manage | | | | copyright holder.Determining protection can |
| controversial issues. Lets face it, the | | | | be complex. Fair use is often disputed, and |
| Internet did not exist when the US copyright | | | | it is difficult for legal scholars to |
| laws were written;let us not forget, while | | | | understand, and even more difficult for |
| many countries respect copyright laws, the | | | | publishers to decipher. When determining fair |
| Internet is global without a governing body. | | | | use there are a few questions that help |
| There are not only different laws, rules and | | | | determine whether a copyright violation has |
| regulations, but also jurisdiction issues. | | | | occurred. The questions you should ask are:Is |
| RSS didn't exist when copyright laws were | | | | the work protected? How much material is |
| written either. While ardent supporters feel | | | | copied? What is the nature of the work that |
| any content in a feed can be syndicated, | | | | was copied? Is the individual reproducing the |
| other equally fervernet publishers contend | | | | work profiting? How was the original works |
| that original works are just that--original | | | | affected by being copied?When attempting to |
| works, and in many countries protected by | | | | determine copyright protection, it is |
| copyright laws.Much of the Internet is | | | | important to remember that the US copyright |
| uncharted terroritory. There is no single | | | | law does not require a notice to appear in |
| agencies that has complete control over | | | | order for creative works to be protected. The |
| content or censorship, and it is unlikely | | | | fact that the work is unique and is "created" |
| that there will ever be a recognized body | | | | is enough to ensure protection.Not |
| that regulates and agrees to terms and | | | | surprisingly, creative works that contain a |
| conditions to govern the online world. At | | | | higher level of complexity have a higher |
| this point, the location of webhosts and | | | | degree of protection. The fair use doctrine |
| companies owning domains dictate what laws | | | | is part of US copyright law and it allows for |
| that are observed. In other words, if a | | | | publishers to incorporate some copyrighted |
| company in the US or UK is violating a | | | | material into works without the expressed |
| copyright and their host is in the US or UK, | | | | permission of the copyright holder.Resources |
| it will be easy to enforce copyright laws in | | | | on Copyright:Copyright Debate: |
| the event of a violation and have the website | | | | |
| content pulled. If the website is located on | | | | Copyright: in mind that fair use is based |
| a server in a region that does not recognize | | | | on the belief that the general public and |
| or acknowledge the rights of a copyright | | | | media are entitled to freely use portions of |
| holder, the web host will be less likely to | | | | copyrighted materials. The fair use extends |
| cooperate in removing the offending | | | | to commentary on the creative works, |
| content.Regardless of whether you manage an | | | | criticism of creative works, or even the |
| RSS feed or syndicate existing feeds, it is a | | | | creation of a parody that relates to the |
| good idea to become familiar with what | | | | copyrighted material. Understanding the |
| constitutes fair use under copyright laws. | | | | intent of the copyright laws help publishers |
| Fair use allows portions of copy written | | | | interpret them. |
| material to be reproduced or republished | | | | |