Copying Electronic Material
Copying Electronic Material
Electronic copyright covers issues relating to the use of software, the Internet, CD-ROM, online and off-line electronic databases. Copying electronically includes:
- using an optical scanner to convert copyright protected works into electronic format
- re-keying paper-based copyright material into a word processor
- downloading to print, disk or computer from databases, CD-ROM and the World Wide Web
- Faxing copyright works
- Sending copyright works
- Sending copyright works through email
- Disseminating copyright material on a network
Copyright law protects material which is available in electronic format in the same way as printed works. There is nothing in the Copyright Designs and Patents Act to say that fair dealing does not apply to works in digital form. The Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) and the Publishers Association (PA) have produced Guidelines for fairdealing in an electronic environment which gives clear guidelines.
