Authors, performers and sound recording makers will have greater control over the availability of their copyrighted material on the Internet under proposed amendments to the federal Copyright Act. The new provisions also clarify liability for Internet service providers and facilitate the use of new technologies for educational and research purposes.
Bill 60, which implements protections required by two treaties of the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), provides sound recording makers with full reproduction rights for their recordings and performers with moral rights in their performances. Moral rights include the right to the integrity of the work, the right to be associated with the work as its author by name or under a pseudonym and the right to remain anonymous. Infringement of these rights will constitute a violation of the Copyright Act.
The amendments additionally broaden the copyright exceptions for educational institutions, while at the same time imposing an obligation on such institutions to adopt safeguards to prevent misuse of copyrighted material. Existing exceptions allowing for the performance or display of copyrighted material for educational purposes will be extended to include the performance or display of such material via network technology. Educational institutions will also be permitted to provide copyrighted materials to students by electronic delivery.
(Click here for Bill C-60)
