Why small businesses should understand copyright law

This blog frequently addresses copyright issues affecting businesses in various industries. Intellectual property lawsuits involving movie studios and record companies frequently make headlines, as do patent infringement cases. It is worth nothing that there are other types of works that could potentially be subject to copyright. 

A recent article from Scientific American discusses the importance of understanding copyright law, particularly as it relates to visual artists. When artists create work and enter into a contract, it is important that they have an understanding of what they are agreeing to and how their works will be used.

As the article details, copyright protects works that are literary, musical, pictorial, architectural, dramatic, motion picture, choreographic and sound recordings. An important distinction the author makes is that even if you come up with an idea, it cannot be copyrighted if it has not been created. Therefore, if you are simply talking about an idea and someone else decides to make it into reality before you do, you do not own the copyright.

It was previously discussed on this blog that some companies engaging in online crowdfunding campaigns to raise money for business ideas end up having these ideas stolen. Someone else with the necessary resources gets wind of the idea and is able to execute it before the other party has a chance to.

To safeguard against a scenario like this taking place, small businesses can receive legal counsel about their specific copyright question. Any individual or business creating or planning to use copyrighted materials for commercial use should know what the process involves. Contact a Phoenix, AZ small business attorney to learn more about how to protect your intellectual property. 

Categorised in: Intellectual Property Law

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