The lawyer talked about copyright protection on the Internet

Unfortunately, content theft in the online environment is widespread. Lawyer Anton Ivlev told Izvestia on July 10 what actions the author should take when faced with copyright infringement and how to prevent such situations.

"Any original material in digital format is automatically copyrighted. According to Article 1259 of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation, it arises from the moment the work is created, and registration is not required," he noted.

However, the lawyer clarified that the law protects not the idea, but its concrete embodiment. If someone created their own work inspired by your idea, this is not a violation. It is considered a violation to copy or use your content without permission.

Among the most common violations, the expert singled out Internet piracy, when films, books or music are distributed illegally. Unauthorized duplication is also common, such as publishing someone else's photo or text without consent. Another problem is attribution, when someone passes off someone else's work as their own. In addition, there are cases of illegal processing, for example, the adaptation of a book without the author's permission.

The lawyer recommends that you first fix the violation by taking notarized screenshots with the date and the link to the page. Then it is important to confirm your authorship. Source files, drafts, or early versions of the work are suitable for this. The next step is to file a pre—trial claim demanding that the content be removed and compensation paid. If the violator ignores the appeal, you can file a lawsuit and claim damages in the amount of up to 5 million rubles.

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The expert advises authors to use watermarks on images and videos, as well as add copyright protection warnings. It is useful to regularly check the Internet for illegal copying of materials. An additional measure may be the use of technical means of protection, such as a ban on copying text.

"Copyright protection in the digital world is a critically important task for every content creator. Knowledge of the law and timely response to violations will help you protect your rights," concluded Ivlev.

In March last year, lawyer Yevgeny Udovenko told Izvestia what to do in case of illegal use of personal photos. It is noted that in Russian legislation, the distribution of images of a person without his consent is allowed only in certain cases.