The continuous growth in technology has brought a lot of changes on how things are done. In the search for fast accessibility and ease, mankind has created a new means of connecting things in a so-called web – the Internet. The Internet also known as the cyberspace is a place where everything is coded digitally. From the basic binary codes emerge texts, images, videos, music and other digital media that appear on the computer monitor. Since the Internet was established, many industries have started to transact through the web because it reaches millions of people across the globe. Information can be availed at a low or even no cost at all. Ads and digital media transactions can easily be done.
However, since everything is coded, replications are easily forged. Copies can be indiscriminately produced. Digital media copies are perfect clones of the original thus it is difficult to distinguish which is the original and which is the copy. To protect original authors and regular consumers from the threat of web piracy, several laws like the Digital Millennium Copyright Act was passed.
The DMCA serves as an intellectual property management regulation for digital media and other things traded on the Internet. This law implements two treaties made by the World Intellectual Property Organization also known as WIPO. It penalizes the creation and distribution of technology, gadgets, devices or services that intends to evade procedures such as Digital Rights Management that regulates access to works under copyright. It also prohibits preventing of access control, may there be an infringement or none. The DMCA gives emphases on the penalties for copyright encroachments in the internet.
Digital copyright laws enfold a vast range of people’s ingenuity. Many if not all of the unique content that feed e-commerce is under its protection. This covers literary creations and works of art that includes different forms of writings like manuals, educational materials, articles, blogs, e-books and others. It also protects electronic products such as software, computer programs, music, pictures, videos and the like. Basically, this law doesn’t only look after the rights of the creators or producers. It also guards the rights of the consumers which are subject to fraud. An innocent buyer may be encouraged to buy pirated products which may in time be restricted for access due to infringement. In such a case the consumer won’t be able to get his money back.
Internet users should know intellectual property management laws, may he be a producer or a consumer to protect them from being victims of IP infringements. Cyberspace is as vast as the universe and still continues to expand. As users we should be aware of the pros and cons of its use. It makes our lives faster and easier but sometimes a wrong move can plunge us into hot waters if we do not know what the law allows and prohibits.
