Advancements in technology allows anyone to create unique works and quickly obtain and modify existing works of others. Alongside technology, the internet has become a vast informational portal. This informational portal has all types of intellectual properties, i.e., documents, pictures, books, audio recordings, videos, music, etc. When it comes to the internet, You name it, and the internet has got it.
But can you use it? Maybe? If you use it, will you be penalized? IDK? Check out some quick facts and resources below.
What is Copyright?
“Copyright gives the owner of an original work exclusive right for a certain time period, including its publication, distribution and adaptation” (Mann, 2009. p. 5).
As an Instructional Designer, your work can and will become a part of the vast informational portal. It is better to error on the side of caution. Learn your right and review Copyright Law (Title 17).
https://www.copyright.gov/title17/
In addition to copyright laws, initially geared toward the music and movie industry during the piracy era, Digital Millennium Copyright Act or DMCA (1998), and with criticism of “granting too much power to copyright holders at the expense of the public interest” (Mann, 2009. p. 7), it provides a double layer of protection for instructional designers.
https://www.copyright.gov/dmca/
Remember, you want to protect yourself as well as protect others by covering your work.
Also, not knowing your right to protect your work can hurt your pockets if you don’t take the proper steps. In this digital age, everyone can generate a passive income by monetizing their creations. Let’s not miss out. Get your seal of copyright protection.
References
Copyright.gov. (n.d.a). Copyright law of the United States (title 17) and related laws contained in title 17 of the United States code. Copyright Law of the United States | U.S. Copyright Office. Retrieved October 24, 2021, from https://www.copyright.gov/title17/.
Copyright.gov. (n.d.b). The Digital Millennium Copyright Act. The Digital Millennium Copyright Act | U.S. Copyright Office. Retrieved October 25, 2021, from https://www.copyright.gov/dmca/.
Mann, B. L. (2009). Intellectual property law confers rights in respect of online distance education, yet most learning resources are still free truth or fiction? I-Manager’s Journal of Educational Technology, 6(3), 1-13. https://saintleo.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/scholarly-journals/intellectual-property-law-confers-rights-respect/docview/1473900901/se-2?accountid=4870
Instructional Design: Up Close (A Novice Perspective) 