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Understanding Copyright Essentials

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Understanding Copyright Essentials

Explore key copyright concepts and learn how to use content responsibly in education.

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CONTENT

Types of Works Protected

What is Copyright?

Copyright Duration

Public Domain & Creative Commons

Fair Dealing in Education

Copyright Infringement

useful links

Types of Works Protected

What is Copyright?

Copyright Duration

Understanding Copyright Essentials

Public Domain & Creative Commons

Fair Dealing in Education

Copyright Infringement

What is Copyright?

'Copyright is a protection given to authors, copyright owner and performer of their copyright work and performances as prescribe under the Copyright Act 1987.'

Copyright is a legal right that gives creators exclusive control over the use and distribution of their original works for a certain period.

+ INFO

Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO)

Types of Works Protected

What is Copyright?

Copyright Duration

Understanding Copyright Essentials

Public Domain & Creative Commons

Fair Dealing in Education

Copyright Infringement

Musical WorksCompositions and songs, whether written or recorded.

Sound Recording Audio recordings, music, spoken word.

Types of Works Protected by Copyright

Literary Works Books, articles, plays, pamphlets, scripts, memoranda, tables, reports, compilations, etc.

BroadcastsRadio, television broadcasts.

+ Info

Artistic Works Paintings, sculptures, photographs, drawings, diagrams, maps, charts, engravings, etc.

Films Movies, video recordings.

Literary, Musical, or Artistic Works

Understanding Copyright Essentials

Broadcasts

Films, Sound Recordings, Performers

Literary, Musical, or Artistic Works

Copyright Duration in Malaysia

Films, Sound Recordings, Performers

Broadcasts

Literary, Musical, or Artistic Works

Copyrigth DUration

Broadcasts

Films, Sound Recordings, Performers

Duration of Copyright in Literary, Musical, or Artistic Works

Anonymous or Pseudonymous Works

Unpublished Works

General Rule

If the work was published anonymously or pseudonym name, copyright lasts for 50 years from the year after it was published, made available to the public, or created, whichever happens last. If the author’s identity is later revealed, the duration changes to the author’s lifetime plus 50 years.

If the work wasn’t published before the author died, copyright lasts for 50 years from the year after it was first published.

Copyright lasts for the author's lifetime plus 50 years, starting from the year after the author’s death.

+ Info

Literary, Musical, or Artistic Works

Copyrigth DUration

Broadcasts

Films, Sound Recordings, Performers

Duration of Copyright in Films, Sound Recordings, Performers

Performers

Sound Recordings

Films

Copyright protection lasts for 50 years from the beginning of the calendar year following the year in which the performance was given or fixed in a sound recording.

Copyright lasts for 50 years from the beginning of the calendar year following the year in which the recording was first published. If the sound recording has not been published, the duration is calculated from the beginning of the calendar year following the year of fixation.

Copyright lasts for 50 years from the beginning of the calendar year following the year in which the film was first published.

Literary, Musical, or Artistic Works

Copyrigth DUration

Broadcasts

Films, Sound Recordings, Performers

Duration of Copyright in Broadcasts

Broadcasts

Copyright subsists for 50 years, computed from the beginning of the calendar year following the year in which the broadcast was first made.

Types of Works Protected

What is Copyright?

Copyright Duration

Understanding Copyright Essentials

Public Domain & Creative Commons

Fair Dealing in Education

Copyright Infringement

Fair Dealing in Education

Fair dealing allows limited use of copyrighted materials without permission under certain conditions. It is particularly relevant in educational contexts.

Examples of Fair Dealing

Research and Private Study

Reporting News

Teaching Purposes

Critisicm and Review

Types of Works Protected

What is Copyright?

Copyright Duration

Understanding Copyright Essentials

Public Domain & Creative Commons

Fair Dealing in Education

Copyright Infringement

Creative Commons (CC)

Public Domain

Licenses that provide a way for creators to share their works while retaining some rights, allowing others to use them under specified conditions.

Works free from copyright, available for anyone to use without permission.

Types of Works Protected

What is Copyright?

Copyright Duration

Understanding Copyright Essentials

Public Domain & Creative Commons

Fair Dealing in Education

Copyright Infringement

What is Copyright Infringement?

  • Copyright infringement occurs when a person uses a copyrighted work without the permission of the copyright owner.
  • This violation infringes upon the exclusive rights granted to the creator under the Copyright Act 1987.

This module, “Understanding Copyright Essentials,” was developed by the IMU University Library. Visuals and media elements were sourced from Canva Pro (under IMU’s institutional license), Freepik, Unsplash and Pixabay. All visuals are used under appropriate licenses and intended solely for educational, non-commercial purposes. 📅 Date Created: May 2025 © 2025 IMU University Library. All rights reserved.

Thank you!

INFO:

The Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO) is responsible for the development and management of intellectual property in Malaysia, such as patents, trademarks, industrial designs, copyright, geographical indications, and layout designs of integrated circuits.

World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO)

Intellectual Property Corporation of Malaysia (MyIPO)

Copyright Act

Creative Commons

usage right

Anyone can use public domain works without asking for permission. Example: Classic literature, government publications, and works whose copyright has expired.

Did You Know?

When the copyright period for literary, musical, or artistic works expires, those works enter the public domain. This means that anyone can use, share, or modify them without needing permission from the original creator.

copyright period of P. Ramlee's works

The Copyright Notice and Symbol

A copyright notice is a statement that indicates the work is protected by copyright. It typically includes three elements:

  • © Symbol (or the word "Copyright")
  • Year of First Publication
  • Name of the Copyright Owner

This violation can include:

  • Unauthorized Reproduction: Copying or reproducing the work without permission.
  • Distribution: Sharing or distributing copies of the work without consent.
  • Performance: Publicly performing the work without authorization.
  • Adaptation: Modifying or transforming the work without the creator’s approval.

Info:

Derivative works are also protected as original works. These include translations, adaptations, arrangements, and other transformations of works eligible for copyright (Copyright Act 1987, Section 8(1)(a)).

Usage Rights

1. Attribution (BY): crediting the original creator. 2. Non-Commercial (NC): restricting use to non-commercial purposes only. 3. No Derivatives (ND): prohibiting modifications of the original work. 4. ShareAlike (SA): requiring that any derivative works be licensed under identical terms.

CC Licenses:

Users must follow the conditions set by the specific CC license. Example: Various media (images, music, texts) where creators have applied CC licenses.