Copyright is protection for original works, lasting the authors lifetime and an additional 70 year calendar. Work is protected in other countries as well, thanks to international agreements.

Through copyright the author can stop their work from being reproduced, performing/ communicating the work in public or creating adaptations of the work. NOTE it only protects the original form of expression. Normally copyright is owned by the author, employer of the author or someone the author has transferred ownership to. To use someones work you must retain their license.Copyright is available for literary works, dramatic works, musical works and artistic works. Also copyright in non- works include sound recordings, photograph films, television broadcasts and published editions of works.

The Creative Commons license has a looser agenda than copyright. It protects works yet also shares them to others as long as the original author is given credit. Licensing elements consist of: ATTRIBUTION (acknowledge owner), NON-COMMERCIAL (can’t make money from the content only owner can), NO DERIVATIVES (can’t change owners work) and SHARE ALIKE (new creations using owners work need to carry the same license).

Soooooo now I know the rules, regulations to copyright and the positives these two policies can have, including for creative commons being able to use work easily if owner is credited and that through copyright my original ideas can be protected. I hope my readers now understand these licenses importance and access them appropriately, just like I do and can now.

Visit Rmit’s resource for copyright on blogging for more details

Nakita xx