Copyrights - Prometheus IP

MEME, is something that is ruling the world currently. Earlier Memes were confined only to Social Media but now companies are hiring for memers. Though it is surprising, this job has become like a regular job and many youngsters have this as their career option.

When someone creates a product, technology, or any other new works, they can have their work protected under IPR law.  The IPRs includes patent, trademark, copyright, and trade secret. Whether one wants to protect his/her creation or want to use someone else’s work, it is important to have a thorough understanding of which type of Intellectual Property they are dealing with.

The WIPO Copyright treaty specifies that copyright only protects the expression and not idea, procedure and method. The WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty (WPPT) grants performers economic rights in their performances fixed in phonograms. The rights are right to reproduction, right of distribution, right of rental and right of making available.

Who would you call a performer? This question could simply be answered by saying a person who entertains an audience. Now to be more specific what would performance mean under the Indian Copyright Act, 1957? The definition of the performance is given in the Act. Section 2 (q) which states “performance, in relation to performer's right, means any visual or acoustic presentation made live by one or more performers”.

In the present generation, the language of Emojis has become an easy and entertaining way to communicate with anyone. This fun to use Emojis was created in 1998 by Shigetaka Kurita, a former employee of Japanese Telecom company, NTT DoCoMo. He was working for the first mobile internet platform called “i-mode”.

Are you getting a Tattoo done? Looking for a design? Think before you copy a design for your tattoo, as Tattoos do have copyrights. Yes, you read it right! Copyright issues are present while dealing with Tattoos unless they are custom made exclusively for you by the artist. These custom made Tattoos of yours are the Intellectual Property of the artist. According to the Law, “Copyright protects original works of authorship that are fixed in a tangible form of expression” and this also includes SKIN.

Property emanates from the concept of ownership and possession. It is important as it has a great value. Property is also referred to as a bundle of legal rights but does not have any specific definition. Many versions are there from scientists, lawyers, philosophers, academicians etc for defining the term.