Intellectual Property Rights/IP.
| What is IP or Intellectual Property ? |
Intellectual property or IP is the creative right to anything you create. This can range from digital, music, art and physical products. How much an IP right lasts after purchase (if at all) depends on the type of Intellectual property.
There are 4 types of IP.
- Copyright
Copyright is the one types of IP that does not require to be registered or paid for. The second it is created the creator automatically has a IP right on it. But proof of creation date and where may be needed in case of a dispute.
Copyright IP duration can range from 70 to 120 years depending on the authors circumstance, such as author being anonymous of it being published. The shorter usually is the one applied - Trademarks
Trademarks are basically the name of a company or product and are treated as a monopoly’s rights so that no one can try and copy them, but this must be renewed ever ten years to make sure no one try’s to copy it.
- Designs
Registered designs, compared to trademarks, are the physical counterpart to trademarks, and usually go hand in hand.
these can last up to 25 years and can be renewed every 5 years.
The difference here compared to trademark is that where a trademark will be the company’s name which can apply to anything, what the name can be put on can be on many things. Think how Coca-Cola can be on both a bottle and a can. It’s using the same trademark, but on two different design.
The reason for this being relevant is that each design up to 10 costs £50 on GOV.UK to be registered, and above 10 the price keeps getting higher after every 10 designs or so. - Patents
Patents are inventions that have been published as complete by the inventor and holds claim over it’s use and any income gained from it.
A patent lasts 20 years after it being filed after being invented. Most country’s require a renewal fee in order for it to still be legally bound to the inventor. If the fee is not paid it will no longer be valid and thus belong to no-one.
This has to be compared with copyright as both are of a persons creation. But since this is classed as an invention that the whole world might benefit from and not a product. A patent unlike copyright, does not continue after death.
| Why are IP rights important |
IP is extremely important to the creative industry and creativity as a whole, It protects creators’ work from being stolen and exploited for personal gain.
Intellectual property rights allow people to create works of art or code. Make a company logo or trademark title. Or even invent a new form of power. and do so without the fear of an unlawful individual plagiarizing the work as their own.
While as a upcoming front line Games developer I will admit that finding good assets to fill in the gaps in my own ability is a daunting task with the fear of accidently getting a copyright strike looming over every asset i may use it is very necessary for anyone in the creative industry to bear with it and adapt to adding claim checks on everything we use.
Because without it any hard work we or anyone does may be claimed by another as theirs and benefit from our work with no credit or compensation.
Those that create things for the benefit or enjoyment of others should be protected against such circumstances so that they may be properly reworded for their efforts when their works lead to success.
HomelyZacombie 