It takes time and money to create a product, then develop a place in the market for it and generate a following. One of the ways a Florida entrepreneur identifies their product is by copyrighting it and those who want to use their material then have to ask for permission and those who do not can be sued for copyright infringement. Copyright infringement takes place when someone reproduces, performs, or displays someone’s work without taking permission from the copyright holder. To use someone’s work legally, it is possible to enter into licensing agreements or other contracts with the copyright holder. However, copyright infringement regularly takes place because of rapid advances in technology.
Why is copyright infringement on the rise?
It has become easier to copy information or products from the Internet. Consequently, companies benefit from the work others have done, without giving them the credit they are due. The law is trying to keep up, but it is not always possible to identify these parties. for example, digital advances make it easy to copy images and illustrations. This is especially true when the infringement is taking place in an international setting, as laws vary from state to state.
Non-economic loss
Unfortunately, not all loss suffered is monetary or measurable. Someone who has worked hard at creating something and wants to be identified as the author of that work may not be able to get credit for their work. Additionally, the infringer may distort the work or change it, affecting the integrity of the work. Consequently, moral loss also takes place, which it is not always possible to compensate.
How to protect one’s intellectual property changes with time. An experienced attorney can discuss ways to make sure one’s work is not being usurped without credit and what to do if infringement is taking place.