0.6 Enforcement

Module 7: enforcement

Learning objective

This module will provide a general overview of what it means to infringe another’s copyright and explain the various ways in which infringement may occur. It will also provide a description of some of the issues that commonly arise when a copyright holder decides to bring a copyright infringement lawsuit, and how such cases typically proceed and conclude. It will review some statutory provisions discussed in previous modules that provide liability exemptions for service providers, including libraries. Finally, the module will consider the appropriate roles of librarians with regard to copyright and copyright enforcement.

Case study

Angela leaves Nadia an urgent phone message: “I received a cease and desist letter from a publisher complaining that, by including some of his works in one of my course packs, I am infringing his copyright. What should I do?”

How should Nadia respond?

Lesson

What infringes copyright?

Acts that may infringe copyright

As we have seen, the unauthorized exercise of an exclusive right of the copyright holder infringes copyright unless the use is covered by one of the exceptions or limitations discussed in  Module 4 . For example, making a copy of a book or record implicates the exclusive right of reproduction, and, if done without permission in a manner not covered by one of the exceptions, would infringe the rightsholder's copyright.

Infringement may also occur when one violates any of the moral rights recognized by the particular country’s copyright laws. These may include the right of an author to prevent distortion or mutilation of his or her work, the right to be attributed as the author of a work or not to have authorship falsely attributed.

Direct and indirect infringement

Copyright law typically distinguishes between two different kinds of infringement.

Direct infringement occurs when one exercises one of the copyright holder’s exclusive rights without authorization or legal justification. As stated in the previous section, this would include copying a book or record without permission.

However, many copyright regimes also recognize forms of indirect or "secondary" infringement. Under certain circumstances, one can be found liable for the acts of another. For example, in the United States, one may be liable for “contributory infringement” if he or she knows about the infringing activity of another and does something to induce, cause, or materially contribute to that infringement. One may be liable for “vicarious infringement” based on the actions of another person, even without actual knowledge of the infringement, if she has the right and ability to control the other person’s acts and benefits directly from the infringement.