What is copyright?
- A copyright is the set of exclusive legal rights authors have over their works for a limited period of time. These rights include copying the works (including parts of the works), making derivative works, distributing the works, and performing the works (this means showing a movie or playing an audio recording, as well as performing a dramatic work). Currently, the author's rights begin when a work is created. A work does not have to bear a copyright notice or be registered to be copyrighted. (http://www-sul.stanford.edu/cpyright.html )
- It's very important to follow the fair use guidelines. The four criteria are as follows:
non profit education purposes.
2. The nature of the copyrighted work.
3. The amount of substantiality of the portion used in relation to the copyrighted work as a whole.
4. The effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work.
- I got this information from the website http://www.stfrancis.edu/content/cid/copyrightbay/index.htm and it has much more on the topic of copyright. I would suggest visiting this website if you'd like more information.
What is the public domain?
- According to http://www.public-domain-image.com/public_domain/public_domain.html, works that are part of the public domain are public property. The works on this site are either not eligible for copyright or the copyright has expired.
- The website contains copyright-free images. It is explained that no permission is needed to use this public information. Here is an example:
- http://www.public-domain-image.com/nature-landscapes-public-domain-images-pictures/beaches-public-domain-images-pictures/
- To plagiarize means to steal someone else's work and use it as your own. When you use a source and don't give it credit, that is a form of plagiarism. On the website www.plagiarism.org, different ways of plagiarism are explained and there are also webinars a reader is able to view.
What happens when you download illegally?
- If you download something that you shouldn't, more than likely your computer will be affected by spyware, malware, viruses, or even identity theft.(http://www.ifpi.org/content/section_news/20080307.html )
- One of the most popular illegal downloads is music. Often, viruses accompany the "free" downloaded music file. There are also scammers who search music sites in order to obtain financial information and location information. This is very dangerous, especially if you allow your children to download music whenever they want. It is very important to keep an eye on what your children are doing on your home computer. Click on this link to read an article about a woman who got fined for illegally downloading music: http://articles.cnn.com/2009-06-18/justice/minnesota.music.download.fine_1_jury-instructions-fined-sheryl-crow?_s=PM:CRIME
- Most schools should have an acceptable use policy. Normally, one part of the policy addresses the problem of obeying copyright laws and illegal downloading. Each school should have a policy in place that puts focus on making sure the students are aware of how to obey copyright laws. Once students are old enough, a lesson should be taught stressing the importance of how to give credit where credit is due in order to follow the proper rules.
Resources for free/inexpensive media downloads:
- One very common inexpensive way to download music is to use iTunes.
- For teachers: www.teachersdomain.org --Digital media for use in the classroom or for professional development.
- The free source I used above: www.public-domain-image.com
- A great article with websites from Creative Commons: http://blogs.sitepoint.com/2009/04/30/30-creative-commons-sources/
