"I think art is the only thing that's spiritual in the world. And I refuse to forced to believe in other people's interpretations of God. I don't think anybody should be. No one person can own the copyright to what God means." Marilyn Manson1
"I'm a bit cynical that it ever will be addressed properly. I think it is healthy to get some sort of copyright protection. But some of it has gone on forever." Peter Gabriel2
"Napster's only alleged liability is for contributory or vicarious infringement. So when Napster's users engage in noncommercial sharing of music, is that activity copyright infringement? No." David Boies3
"Only one thing is impossible for God: To find any sense in any copyright law on the planet." Mark Twain4
"Earlier generations of technology... have presented challenges to existing copyright law, but none have posed the same threat as the digital age." -John V. Pavlik, New Media Technology, 19965
Judging by the references to God in a couple of these quotes, it would seem that the issue of copyright is certainly capable of arousing strong feelings for some people. It has done so, and will probably continue to do so for years to come. Copyright is a controversial subject at the best of times, and it's a prickly one at that, to say the least. It can also be something of a legal minefield for anyone wanting to use original material created by someone else, be it an article from a book, a photo off a website, music, a video clip, or even someone's own video footage of, say a lecture for example.
In the latest (October) edition of Viewfinder (The Journal of the British Universities Film & Video Council), Jason Miles-Campbell, the Services Manager at JISC Legal, discusses Intellectual Property rights in education and how relevant the 1988 Copyright, Designs and patents Act is to staff and students.
Whatever your own stance is towards copyright law, anti, pro or just plain bewildered, it is good practice to be aware of where you stand with the regards the law relating to copyright if you are a member of staff or a student. Miles-Campbell obviously falls into the pro-copyright camp, and certainly doesn't advocate the flagrant disregard of copyright owners' rights, "even if anarchy seems like a good academic trait to some". Needless to say, he goes on to outline some "good reasons for the respect of creativity", among them the advocacy of "academia... leading by example".
If you'd like to know a bit more about your responsibilities with in relation to academic use of film and video, and copyright matters regarding clearance rights for recording lectures etc. you might want to read the whole article provided by kind permission of Sergio Angelini (Information and Publications Executive - BUFVC). 'Copyright and You' - http://insight.glos.ac.uk/departments/lis/media/Documents/bufvc-viewfinder-80-pp.14-15.pdf6
References
1- 4 Copyright Quotes, Brainy Quote, N/D
< http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/copyright.html>
5. 'Quotes on Copyright', Ball State: Education Redefined, 2008,
< http://vgncds.bsu.edu:82/library/article/0,,16120--,00.html>[Accessed 29/10/2010]
6. Jason Miles-Campbell, 'Exit Stage Rights', Viewfinder: The Journal of the British Universities Film & Video Council, (London: BUFVC, 2010), October, no.80, 2010, pp.14-15.
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