Copyright
The copyright of the material on this website and the design of the website belong to Sussex Downs College.
Sussex Downs College retains copyright to all original material used on this website.
You will not, without the prior written agreement of Sussex Downs College: reproduce, redistribute or alter any of the material; or alter or remove any copyright notices on the material. All other rights are reserved. Any infringement of our rights will result in the appropriate legal action.
General disclaimer
Whilst Sussex Downs College makes every effort to keep the information on this web site accurate, we disclaim any warranty or representation, express or implied about its accuracy, completeness or appropriateness for a particular purpose. Thus you assume full responsibility for using the information on this website, and you understand and agree that neither Sussex Downs College nor any of its employees or agents is responsible or liable for any claim, loss or damage resulting from its use.
Sussex Downs College is also not responsible for the contents or reliability of linked websites and does not necessarily endorse the views expressed within them. Listing shall not be taken as endorsement of any kind. We cannot guarantee that these links will work all of the time and we have no control over availability of the linked pages.
The views expressed on this website are not necessarily those of Sussex Downs College.
Background information
Copyright is a right granted by law that gives the creators of literary, dramatic, musical or artistic works the ability to control ways their work is used and to earn a fair reward for that use. In the case of authors and publishers it provides a means for them to earn a living by writing and publishing. Copyright law also protects sound recordings and films (CDs, videos and DVDs) as well as computer software and broadcasts. Copyright is part of a family of intellectual property (IP) rights recognised under UK law. Other forms of IP that enjoy legal protection include Designs, Patents and Trademarks. Copyright law in the UK is automatic and work is legally protected the moment it is created in material form, e.g. written down or recorded. The legal owner in the first instance is the creator (author) of the work. The main exception to this is when the work is created in the course of employment and in these cases the copyright usually belongs to the employer.
Copyright protection in the UK generally lasts for 70 years following the death of the author.
Copyright infringement
Infringement of copyright occurs when a restricted act is carried out without the permission of the copyright owner; e.g. taking a copy of a work without permission. Infringement is generally a civil offence and a common penalty is the award of damages and the destruction of any infringing materials. However in cases where someone is dealing in infringing copies (selling pirate materials) this is known as secondary infringement and can be a criminal offence punishable by a prison sentence. Where an act constitutes a criminal offence action can be taken by Trading Standards and other enforcement agencies as well as by the copyright owner.
The value of copyright
Copyright is important because it protects the interests of the creators and those who invest in creativity. If there was no legal copyright protection, it would be difficult for creative people to make a living from their work. It would be less likely that anyone would be willing to fund the publishing of a book, the making of a film or the recording of music if there was less opportunity to earn a return and there was no protection from copying by others. The easier it becomes to access creative works the more vital it is that we respect copyright law so that people continue to produce the creative works which add value to our lives. By supporting copyright owners, CLA plays a part in maintaining the value of their work, thereby sustaining creativity and its benefit to all. Through protection of this sort the creative industries in the UK have been able to grow to support millions of jobs and produce over 8% of the UK's GDP.
Changes to UK copyright law
In 2003, the law of copyright in the United Kingdom changed in a number of significant respects. The changes stemmed from a European Union Directive passed to harmonise the laws of copyright amongst Member States and to bring the laws up to date to take account of the realities of electronic information in general, and the Internet in particular.
The EU Directive has led to a number of important changes to UK copyright law. One of the most important changes was to remove from some of the exceptions to copyright (i.e. fair dealing and the library privileges), any copying that is carried out for commercial purposes.
