Traditionally, when I think of legal protections for intellectual property, I first think of patents. Coming from a historical lens, I was always fascinated by inventions and how people could create something revolutionary. An invention to me was always from the perspective of something physical, a lightbulb, a telephone, a television, etc. The protections of a patent prevent others from profiting off inventions. The next legal protection that comes to mind is the brands and logos that we have come to know so well. In terms of legal protection, trademarks are similar. Brands and logos for companies are very recognizable in our day-to-day lives. The way that copyrights differ from these other forms of legal protection is that they pertain to intellectual property. Copyright is defined as the author's exclusive legal right to their work (Merriam-Webster, n.d.). Some examples include music, art, literature, and software. A more specific example of copyright, Disney has made significant attempts to change copyright laws in the United States over its creation of Mickey Mouse, which is valued at over $3 billion dollars (TechInsider, 2015). Creating this video to explain what a copyright is and some similar topics to compare it to gives a concrete way that we can relate and apply copyright information. If you are someone that interacts, shares, or remixes media in any form, then this video will help make sense of the implications for using that media. In the video below, I detail the differences between these legal protections and some examples from our everyday lives:
The internet has significantly changed the way we share intellectual property in the 21st century. We must recognize copyright protections and view intellectual property similar to the way we view patents and trademarks. There is a general understanding that if you take a product, replicate it, claiming it as your own, and selling it, it is dishonest and carries legal consequences. These same concepts carry over into intellectual property and should be viewed in the same way. If you have ever shared an other person's content on social media for example, then these concepts need to be something that you consider. By not respecting copyright laws, it discourages creators from sharing their intellectual property. References Merriam-Webster. (n.d.). Copyright. In Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Retrieved March 28, 2021, from https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/copyright TechInsider. (2015, October 3). Mickey Mouse and copyright law [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=4&v=_6u7JkQAFMw&feature=emb_logo
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorMy name is Ryan MacLeod and I live in Seattle, WA. I am currently a K-8 Lab Coordinator. I have a passion for educational technology integration and curriculum design, especially when it comes to the social sciences. Archives
April 2021
Categories
All
|