Our first #KreativeKliniks, a skill share series to help creatives learn more premiered on Thursday ,14th May with a conversation on the Copyright law facilitated by Timothy Kakuru from Barefoot Law, an organization that primarily makes legal information available to people in Uganda. He spoke on how the law works especially in instances of remote work, and how one can better protect themselves as they share and collaborate. If you missed that session, we put some notable information down for you: Copyright and the things that fall under what a creative can copyright A copyright is the exclusive right given to an originator or assignee to print, publish, perform, film or record literary, artistic or musical material and to authorize others to do the same. How to go about registration of copyright/legal requirements for copyright The law does not require one to register a copyright in order to enjoy the protection of their works because the copyright is automatically gotten the moment an idea is put into a tangible or visible / material form. If you are going to get a copyright registered, it’s important to look into the cost of producing that thing and the amount you are getting out of it. How to prove that you were the first creator Identify where there might be a need to register or not. It has to be in material form. Make sure to put it in tangible form after you have created it so it can be traced back to you as the creator. What Ugandans can protect and what they cannot There is no actual requirement for you to register your copyright in order for you to have the protection. It is automatically gotten as soon as you put it out there. Benefits of copyright Protection When registered, the public is aware of who owns the copyright. Legal protection is more assured. Upon death, the copyright is more solidly in the estate of the creator.
Compensation is made easier in the case of infringement.
You always have to acknowledge that there is an AUTHOR: The physical person who created or creates works protected under section 5 and includes a person or authority commissioning work or employing a person or authority commissioning work in the course of employment. Authors have copyright protection and it is not subject to any formality. The work is original if it is the product of the independent efforts of the author. 5 Defines Work Eligible for Copyright as: Pictures/paintings Writing/literary work like novels, poetry. Facebook posts, as long as it’s original. Anything that you have created and is original to you. Authors’ Rights and Powers 1) Moral Rights 2) Economic Rights Moral Rights Right to claim authorship where work is included in other works Right to be named every time the work is used. Right to object to any distortion. Economic Rights Exclusive rights to do or authorize others to: Publish, produce or re-produce work. Distribute or make available to public original or copies of the work. Perform work in public, broadcast work, communicate work to public, make work derivative, commercially rent or sell original copies. Withdrawal of Work The author is allowed to compel any person circulating the work to withdraw it from circulation if it no longer reflects the author’s convictions and intellectual concepts. Neighboring Rights The rights of any person who provided additional support/help in making or finalizing the copyright material. They include performing artist’s rights in their performances, producers and music publishers, broadcasting companies in their programmes. Etc. This role must be dependent on the rights of the author but does not affect the rights of the author. Things that Cannot Protected Public Benefit Works: Acts, statutes, decrees, statutory instruments etc. are not protected Decisions of courts, reports of commitees and commissions of Government. News of the day namely reports of fresh events or current information by media. How Long a Copyright Lasts: 50 years after your death if you are known as the owner. If no one knows you, the protection lasts only 50 years after the work has been created.