What is the importance of copyright in Singapore? It is well said that “it is much better failing in originality than succeeding in imitation.” This statement forms the basis of the copyright’s primary objective for generally protects an Individual’s content from being accessed without his or her consent. These contents may include; music, video, or computer programs.
Singapore also adopted this; in 1987, the government proposed and passed the Copyright Act (Cap 63) based on the Australian Legislation. Providing for six years in prison for copyright infringement. This article further discusses the importance of copyright in Singapore.
Registering any work under copyright serves as legal evidence for proving the work’s original owner. The registration and certification guarantee the work’s legal protection.
For the copyright society in Singapore to ensure the security of any work, the work provided should be original. The owner should present the job in a tangible form like recorded audio or a written novel.
Once an author presents, the society guarantees protection from unauthorized access even without filing a registration.
However, it is a requirement for the author to register with the copyright. The registration may be used as evidence in any law court to prove the actual ownership of the work. Thus this gives the author legal protection for the work they present.
The other importance of copyright in Singapore is that they provide for branding and goodwill to the author. After the author presenting work in a tangible form, they are offered a certificate of copyright registration.
The authors can use this certificate for marketing their works in various ways. Furthermore, certification will instill a sense of quality and goodwill among the customers or the public intending to access the assignment.
Lastly, having this certificate shows everybody that you care most about the work you present to them.
Many people on the internet are currently accessing authors’ work without seeking permission. They go ahead, manipulating and presenting it as their original work. An author registering copyright shows that the author is very cautious about copyrighted infringement.
Because registering copyright will help prevent any access of the work by unauthorized persons; thus, the result cannot be manipulated or re-reproduced. In summary, the copyright will provide legal remedies against unauthorized access, use, and reproduction of his or her work.
In Singapore, as soon as an author creates and presents his or her work in a tangible form, the author automatically starts enjoying copyright protection.
Another importance of copyright in Singapore is that if the copyright is registered in other countries, the author receives similar similarities worldwide as those he or she receives in Singapore.
Thus, the author’s work is protected in Singapore and globally in the states with the registered copyright.
Registering with copyrights will create an intellectual property that is an intangible asset. The registered ones are the creative owners of this intellectual property. It is important to note that in Singapore, the owner of any copyrights can license the copyrights to a third-party owner. These registration rights can be sold, contracted commercially, or franchised.
The work protected by copyright may sometimes find individuals or organizations editing or translating. When such occurs, the author can claim remuneration or royalty over the editing or translating of the works.
For example, together with YouTube, the songs are copied and used on various occasions in the music industry.
More so, individuals remix the song and go ahead even to make videos of such. If the owner has a copyright registration, he or she can indeed claim for remuneration and royalty over these.
Ultimately, registration of a copyright in Singapore is essential in protecting the owner’s original work from unauthorized access, use, and copying. The copyright registration presents evidence that it is the author’s original work.
Copyright has various importance for any author who has work that is already presented in a tangible form. Thus is advisable for any new or existing author to register a copyright to protect his or her work and get maximum benefits and returns from the work.