REPOSTED ASSIGNMENT !!!! I NEED YOUR HELP IV MINI PROJECT (P.C)

Unit IV

Lesson: Copyright Protection

Introduction: What is a Copyright?

A copyright is the exclusive legal ownership that is granted to the originator of an invention,

musical or literary creation, or any number of other things falling under these broad categories.

Sometimes, companies aggressively pursue copyrights on their medicines, inventions,

innovations, or other property while others might be careless about a song, video, or simple

improvement to an existing product. In any event, copyright will have particular relevance to

students and employees.

What an Individual Needs to Know about Copyright Protection

We are introduced, in most cases, to very little in the way of copyright knowledge unless we take

a specialized class that deals explicitly with the process or laws surrounding the copyright

procedure. However, one thing that is stressed for all employees is plagiarism while working on

any company or business assignment. As we all know, plagiarism is the act of appropriating

material that is not one’s own for a paper or project and then passing it off as if it is ours, or

worse, as if it is that of the business for whom we work.

While the fact is that most of the plagiarism among employees, particularly recent or

inexperienced employees, is accidental, there are some employees who plot, plan, and carry out

plagiarism in many calculated and often clever ways, which is often motivated by career

advancement or to impress a boss or supervisor. In most cases, an inexperienced employee does

not follow the right procedure in giving credit to a source and, by a lack of knowledge or

carelessness, carries out the plagiarism. In many cases, businesses warn their employees about

such practices.

For those who indulge in copying portions of their assigned work, the price can be very high.

Few businesses, if any, will accept the embarrassment of an employee who brings a charge of

copyright violation or plagiarism to the business. The media might not publish the name of an

employee involved in the theft of intellectual property, but the name of the business will

certainly appear in the headlines. An employee who brings this kind of attention to his or her

employer through these activities is almost certain to be released and will likely find it very

difficult to find employment in the same field in the future.

What an Employee Needs to Know about Copyright Protection

Businesses are very sensitive to any kind of ethical or moral deviation that brings discredit to

their reputation, and it is certainly the case that any charge of copyright violation, plagiarism, or

theft of intellectual property will not be tolerated.

Businesses require a variety of reports that require varying degrees of research. Likewise,

businesses use PowerPoint for a variety of diverse presentations. When businesses use

copyrighted materials for their presentations, they must follow the laws very stringently for

obvious reasons. Because there is little to pursue in terms of damages when a single employee

violates copyright law, in most cases, prosecution is highly unlikely. On the other hand, a

business has assets and, therefore, is a much more likely target for recovering damages under

such circumstances.

When any employee violates copyright law, both the employee and company are held liable.

Anyone who puts his or her company in this position is also not likely to be employed for long.

Companies are very careful not to infringe on copyrights and expect their employees to be

scrupulous in all behaviors and avoid any copyright violations as the company’s reputation and

financial success are at risk anytime a single employee violates copyright law.

Perhaps because of their college experiences, most employees are aware that any papers, bids, or

documents referring to copyrighted materials must acknowledge those sources; however, in some

cases, employees need to be reminded that all visual presentations given at work (via formats

such as PowerPoint, Slide Share, Captivate, Prezi, etc.) that utilize any copyrighted material must

have the same type of acknowledgement or permission that a formal bid, analysis, or report

would require.

Just how are companies most vulnerable to copyright infringement is the question we might

inevitably ask. An issue will most likely arise when a company’s work gets posted online. This is

very common today because, in today’s tech-savvy business world, most companies have a

website, use social media, and post a variety of PDFs to their website, one of the most common

being a variety of training manuals. Remember, anything that might bring a profit to a company

and that can be found via a search on the Internet offers the potential for getting the company in

trouble and opening the doors for litigious action.

Most businesses are very serious about protecting themselves and their employees from

copyright violations and have staff whose jobs fulfill this mission. However, all employees must

possess a working knowledge of fundamental copyright laws just as much so as the principles of

discrimination or sexual harassment—all of which are unethical forms of communication. An

educated employee is an asset, and, as the old adage goes, “What you don’t know will hurt you.”

Check for Understanding

(Answer Key found below Review.)

1. A copyright is, in reality, like a deed, a declaration of official ownership. a. True b. False

2. It is impossible to violate a copyright law by accident. a. True b. False

3. A violation of a copyright might be pursued more vigorously under what circumstances? a. A product very similar to a top selling competitor’s product has appeared on the

market and is making a lot of money.

b. There is a report submitted to the company that a product similar to one of theirs has appeared on the market.

4. During the last two decades, copyright laws have affected one industry very dramatically: a. the automotive industry. b. the music industry.

5. What has made copyright analyses much easier in the last two decades? a. The proliferation of government bureaucracy b. The Internet

Review

1. A copyright is the exclusive legal ownership that is granted to the originator of an invention, musical or literary creation, or any number of other things.

2. Businesses are very sensitive to any kind of ethical or moral deviation that brings discredit to their reputation, and it is certainly the case that any charge of copyright

violation, plagiarism, or theft of intellectual property will not be tolerated.

3. Anything that might bring a profit to a company and that can be found via a search on the Internet offers the potential for getting the company in trouble and opens the doors for

litigious action.

Answer Key

1. True - In fact, a copyright is a formal and legal certification of ownership whether we are speaking of an invention or an artistic creation.

2. False - It is not uncommon for someone to appropriate some aspect of a patented design, song, video, and more and never realize that what they are doing is a copyright violation.

3. A - When money is an issue and if the product is a direct competitor, if there is copyright infringement, the case is worth pursuing.

4. B - The many online music sites where customers can listen to and download music have been very damaging to copyrighted material, and many of the largest companies have

been involved in litigation, including Apple and others. The automobile industry uses

many patents for brand names and products, but copyright infringement is very rare and

certainly has not been in the news to a great extent.

5. B - With more and more material being posted to the Internet, it has become much easier to examine, scan, and scrutinize all media for any type of copyright infringement. The

various agencies of the federal government are tedious, ineffective, and have not affected

copyright law in any significant way.