Insecurity of Intellectual Property - Essay Example

Copyright and the internet

It is quite evident that the internet has been seen to be the widest and most open source of information, communication, and entertainment. People tend to believe more in almost everything that goes on within cyberspace. It is due to the quest for information and knowledge that internet users go overbroad. Without any kind of idea, these users unintentionally break what is known as copyright laws that usually govern the internet. Although many people do not seem to understand how copyrights apply to the internet, it is evident that these laws are effective in today's cyberspace. Research indicates that internet use is characterized as the largest risk to copyright since its commencement. There are various copyrighted works on the internet namely; software, novel, screenplays, stories, and even email and Usenet messages. Users should realize that almost everything that is found on the internet is protected by copyright law.

Advances in technology have made everyone with a personal computer and with good internet access to copy and distribute information. The activity of copying and distributing has recently been made easier through peer-to-peer file allocation programs that allow users to look for and download information. Internet and computer users should understand that scanning material and reposting them on the Internet is illegal. A user is only allowed to refer to information within the net while researching but he is not supposed to tamper with any form of information. The act of piracy and theft is prosecuted in civil law since copyright law is considered to be civil law.

• Prospects and limitations of the copyright

Intellectual property is a term that refers to distinct types of creations of the human mind that are intangible in nature. A set of exclusive rights have been recognized so as to protect such unique creations and they are patents, trademarks, copyrights, and trade secrets in certain jurisdictions. Such protection is vital for organizations far and wide as it ensures that individuals who invest time and resources in developing a business idea reap the full benefits. Without such protection, other parties can easily steal the unique idea and use it, which translates into unfair gain from the hard work done by someone else for free. For entrepreneurs to enjoy the fruits of their labor, they, therefore, have to acquire prior knowledge of the various kinds of intellectual properties that exist and how such properties can be protected.