Copyright Protection - Tips and Tricks to Do It Right

Friday April 26, 2013 , 2 min Read

Website layouts, source codes, graphical user interfaces; all form a part of copyrights. In India, Copyright Act, 1957 and the Copyright Rules, 1958 provides safeguards for copyright protection.

Here are some free tools to use for copyrights.

For Free Search

1) Search Portal, India:

http://copyright.gov.in/

2) Search Portal, USA:

http://www.copyright.gov/records/

Professional Help

A Trademark Agent or a Trademark Attorney is licensed to represent a client before the State (Copyright Office and Offices of that state).

Secure Your Rights

Copyrights protect important aspects of a website or an application.

The following may be protected under copyright law:

Literary works (e.g., written works, graphical user interfaces, website layouts, source codes of computer programs)
Dramatic works (e.g.,. scripts for films and dramas)
Musical works (e.g., melodies)
Artistic works (e.g., paintings, photographs)
Published editions of the above works
Presentations
Business Plan
Brochures
Sound recordings
Films and movies
Television and radio broadcasts
Television programmes
Performances

How to determine infringement?

Keep a tab on the market; people in similar or allied fields. Be extremely cautious while outsourcing your ‘creative’ work or while hiring a contractor. Copyright resides with the creator or author. Hence, legal agreements need to be pre-decided in order to allow transfer of copyright before expiration of contract. Agree with contract workers, before hands.

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Read how to protect your trademark & patent. Also read our other article on IP here.

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