P6

P6 - Copyright Laws

Copyright laws are the main issues that graphic designers have to tackle. Copyright is a legal right created by the government of a country. It grants the creator of an original piece of work exclusive rights to its use and distribution, usually for a limited time, with the intention of enabling the creator (for example, the photographer of a photograph or the author of a book) to receive compensation for their intellectual effort.

To get permission to use copyright products you need to get a licence. you can get a licence through the following mediums:

The British Association of Picture Libraries and Agencies (BAPLA) has links and contact details for a wide range of image suppliers in the UK where you can search for images using keywords. Once you've found an image you want to use, you can acquire a licence that is tailored to your needs.

The BBC: They have a fee-paying, business-to-business service where you can find images protected by copyright from the organisation's library for editorial use in digital and print media.

If you want to reproduce the work of an artist you can contact various rights holder organisations, one of which is the Design and Artists Copyright Society (DACS). DACS represents over 70,000 visual artists and estates in the UK and overseas through its copyright licensing service. Certain members of the British Association of Picture Libraries and Agencies (BAPLA) can also license works by an artist.

If you know your rights and have the correct type of protection you will be able to prevent people people from stealing or copying:

• The names of your products or brands.
• Your inventions.
• The design or look of your products.
• Things you write, make or produce.