Copyright

Copyright is the act of protecting media and the rights of the person who created it. Copyright laws have two main purposes:

  1. To ensure creators are rewarded for their work
  2. To protect the rights of copyright holders to prevent their work being stolen and/or copied

Key Points

Copyright ensures developers are protected and rewarded for their work.

Breaking copyright laws can lead to fines or prosecution.

What types of media are covered by copyright?

Copyright laws protect all media types including movies, games and music.

For National 5 and within a web context, copyright applies specifically to:

  • Text
  • Graphics
  • Audio
  • Video

Following Copyright Laws

When using media that is covered by copyright the developer must do at least one of the following:

  • Be the owner of the copyright
  • Seek permission to use the media from the copyright holder
  • Give credit for the use of the media

Breach of copyright laws can lead to fines and/or prosecution.

National 5 Targets

You should be able to explain what copyright laws do.

You should be able to explain the penalties of breaking copyright laws.

You should be able to explain how to obtain permission to use copyright protected media.