Copyright, nowadays, appears as the foundation for much of what goes into the knowledge economy. It is not just a way to protect unique creative works from being infringed but also a source of income for a wide range of creative workers. Some writers, composers, etc., get copyright income directly. Nonetheless, others earn by joining a creative network, including publishers, record labels, distribution companies, and others. Being a part of such an ecosystem, they make money by licensing rights under Copyright Law.
But, the fact is that if legal rights can’t be enforced, they don’t help the owner much. In documents, it appears as if the owners of a copyrighted work possess a solid set of rights. However, the reality is a bit different. The copyright, indeed, cost too much to enforce. It is common, and thus, the governments and Intellectual Property Law (IP Law) administrators should recognize that the law needs updating.
They should consider that although copyright assets don’t lead to as many problems as other products do, reinforcing this area, i.e., the knowledge economy is somewhere tied to economic success.
Because of mounting up things like legal advice costs, court fees, IP Attorneys‘ hourly charges, copyright litigation can be very expensive. And then the more threatening concern is the risks of having to pay to other parties if you lose. Take an example of a writer who finds that a large amount of his work has been violated. A report made in 2019 stated that the writers, on average, earn 31 percent of their annual income through writing. For most, if not all writers, enforcing their copyrights in cases where their work has been infringed upon will be prohibitive. The same also applies to small businesses and many others.
Sometimes, the only option writers and small businesses have is to put up with Copyright Infringement, in addition to the possible loss of income.
Another case to consider is that people often want to use material sheltered under Copyright Registration Protection but are not familiar with the way to go about clearing rights. The Copyright Act undoubtedly has many defenses and exceptions regarding this matter, but they may be arduous to comprehend. Many times, it is unclear whether the proposed use of copyright-protected material is lawful or not. Indeed, this is a common issue for cultural institutions such as galleries and museums.
Copyright owners often grant permission or give license but, if they don’t, then there can be a legal deadlock. One option that may be helpful in such cases is to knock the Court’s doors. But again, costs act as a barrier and prevent the public from getting the benefits of creative work or activity. IP Lawyers in Maldives and almost every nation call this an “access to justice” issue.
This concern, which is not just a copyright issue, impacts the IP industry in several countries of the world.
Although including some glitches, copyrights are still leading to the emergence of innovative solutions worldwide. Hence, to make the world enjoy continuous and better new creations, it is vital to turn all this good work into a meaningful and useful asset. For this, the government and authorities taking care of Copyright Law in Maldives and outside need to ensure that the rights can be utilized by the creative workers, cultural institutions, small businesses, and all for whom these matters. They should also make sure that the costs do not create barriers in the process of accessing copyright justice.
Almost everyone agrees that copyright law needs to be turned fit for purpose in the modern digital economy. Therefore, many IP experts have already started working on this subject matter and finding ways to improve the Copyright Acts of different nations. For more visit: https://www.trademarkmaldives.com
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