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Len Smith and Sean Kaye

You’re an artist… a graphic designer… you’re writing a book… you’ve developed a website, you’re a photographer, you’ve recorded some great music.. .. you’re a start-up.

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You’re an artist… a graphic designer… you’re writing a book… you’ve developed a website, you’re a photographer, you’ve recorded some great music.. .. you’re a start-up.

In that case, you really need to understand how to protect your intellectual property. It could be your most valuable asset- and the easiest to steal.

Someone breaks into Coca Cola’s premises and steals a truck. That’s easy to sort out. A truck is physical. Coca Cola owned the truck, they taxed it, they registered it. They even insured it against theft.

Intellectual property

Your photos. Your designs. Your novel. Your music composition are your intellectual property, so you need to understand the basics of copyright protection.

What will you learn in this Copyright Basics: How to Copyright?

  • The really basic stuff, like how to type a Copyright symbol © on your computer – you know, the little C in a circle in this copyright basics course.
  • The difference between copyright, patenting and trade mark protection. Why protecting a product design is different from a graphic design.
  • The ins and outs of registering copyright – and I’ll explain the dangers in using what’s called ‘Poor man’s Copyright’
  • I’ll reveal all the misconceptions - and there are lots. For example – There ARE no copyright cops. There is no authority that will sort out disputes for you
  • How to find out if someone has already registered a trademark
  • How the music industry and book publishers are protecting themselves against internet Pirate sites.

And I’ll show you how, even as a one-man band, you can get someone who infringes your copyright to desist - without going to law.

In fact, I’ll share a real-life Case Study where another writer copied my own website - wholesale. How I stopped her in one day flat.

Plus some interesting anecdotes and history about copyright to amuse you along the way.

Take this Copyright Basics: course right now and learn how to copyright your intellectual property.

Enroll now

What's inside

Learning objectives

  • In this course you will learn the basics necessary to protect your work from piracy – including how to create the copyright symbol © on your pc or mac
  • the difference between copyright, patenting and trade mark protection. why protecting a product design is different from a graphic design.
  • The ins and outs of registering copyright
  • The misconceptions - and there are lots!
  • How to find out if someone has already registered a trademark
  • How the music industry and book publishers are protecting themselves against internet pirate sites
  • How, even as a one-man band, you can get someone who infringes your copyright to desist - without going to law.

Syllabus

In this brief video, we describe the course - what it covers, what you will learn.
Copyright protection
Welcome and Basics

In this session we…

·  We look at the three different FORMS of protection – copyright, trademarks and patents.

·  Explore what ‘copyright’ can offer you

·  And learn what ISN’T protected – and there ARE some surprises there.

Read more
Connect With The Community
These pdf notes summarize everything we covered in the previous video. You can download and print them off by using the 'Extras' button, top right corner of this page 
Copyrighting your work

Learn when and how your work becomes copyright. Find out what is meant by ‘A FIXED, TANGIBLE MEANS OF EXPRESSION’. Discover what the Copyright Symbol © is really all about - and how to create it on a PC or a MAC.

We also look at the Phonogram symbol for music copyright.

DOWNLOAD NOTES -  registering your copyright

After each video session, you will find a downloadable hard copy that you can print off, make notes on - and so on.

To download the pdf, simply go to the 'EXTRAS' button, top right of the course page. A 'drop down' menu will then give you the option to download.

Irrefutable Proof

We describe a number of strategies for proving the date that you work became copyright - some of them free. We look at copyright and printed/electronic books and explain what an ISBN number is.

DOWNLOAD NOTES - irrefutable proof 

After each video session, you will find a downloadable hard copy that you can print off, make notes on - and so on.

To download the pdf, simply go to the 'EXTRAS' button, top right of the course page. A 'drop down' menu will then give you the option to download.

Online piracy

The growth of Torrent sites and Filhosters. We se how the DMCA helps and describe 'cease & desist' and 'takedown' letters - including how to write a takedown email.

We also look at the new breed of online companies that will automate the detection and takedown of copyright infringements. 

DOWNLOAD NOTES - Online Piracy - especially the music industry
Conclusion
Everything in a nutshell

Good to know

Know what's good
, what to watch for
, and possible dealbreakers
Provides a comprehensive study of copyright basics
Builds a strong foundation for beginners seeking basic protection for their work
Helps students navigate the process of registering copyright
Includes strategies for combatting online piracy
Suitable for individuals who need basic understanding of copyright for personal or small-scale projects
May not cover advanced or specialized copyright issues

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Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Copyright Basics: How to Protect Your Work from Piracy with these activities:
Understand Copyright Protection Basics
Review the fundamentals of copyright protection to solidify prior knowledge and build a strong foundation for the course.
Browse courses on Copyright
Show steps
  • Read the course syllabus and description to gain an overview of the course content.
  • Review your existing notes or study materials on copyright protection.
  • Do practice questions or exercises to test your understanding of copyright basics.
Review 'Copyright for Beginners' by David Nimmer
Gain insights from a comprehensive guide to copyright law and best practices.
Show steps
  • Read through the chapters to understand the legal framework and principles of copyright.
  • Highlight and take notes on key concepts, such as copyright ownership, registration, and infringement.
  • Discuss with other students or the instructor to deepen your understanding and clarify any questions.
Explore Online Resources on Copyright
Seek out and engage with online resources and tutorials to supplement your understanding of copyright protection.
Show steps
  • Search for online courses, tutorials, or articles on copyright law.
  • Follow along with guided video tutorials on copyright registration and infringement.
  • Read blog posts or articles written by experts in the field of intellectual property.
Six other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all nine activities
Create a Copyright Resource Collection
Gather and organize valuable resources on copyright law and best practices.
Show steps
  • Identify and collect articles, guides, templates, and other resources related to copyright protection.
  • Organize the resources into categories, such as copyright registration, infringement, and international law.
  • Share the resource collection with other students or interested individuals.
Create a Summary of Copyright Protection
Reinforce your understanding of copyright protection by creating a written summary of key concepts and principles.
Show steps
  • Gather information from the course materials, online resources, and other sources.
  • Organize and outline the key points you want to include in your summary.
  • Write a clear and concise summary, focusing on the most important aspects of copyright protection.
Practice Identifying Copyrightable Works
Engage in exercises that require you to analyze and identify works that qualify for copyright protection.
Show steps
  • Find examples of different types of works, such as articles, songs, paintings, and designs.
  • Examine each work and determine whether it meets the criteria for copyright protection.
  • Discuss your findings with other students or the instructor for feedback.
Develop a Copyright Protection Plan for Your Work
Apply your knowledge of copyright protection by creating a plan to protect your own creative works.
Show steps
  • Identify the works you want to protect, such as written content, artwork, or music.
  • Choose the appropriate copyright protection methods for each work.
  • Create a record of your copyright ownership and registration.
  • Develop a strategy for enforcing your copyright rights.
Attend a Copyright Law Conference
Connect with professionals and experts in the field of intellectual property law.
Show steps
  • Register for a copyright law conference or event.
  • Attend sessions on topics related to copyright protection, such as infringement, fair use, and international law.
  • Network with other attendees, including attorneys, academics, and industry professionals.
Contribute to an Open-Source Copyright Database
Engage in collaborative efforts to expand knowledge and promote awareness of copyright law.
Show steps
  • Find an open-source copyright database or project.
  • Identify areas where you can contribute your knowledge or skills.
  • Collaborate with other contributors to improve the accuracy and comprehensiveness of the database.

Career center

Learners who complete Copyright Basics: How to Protect Your Work from Piracy will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

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