Copyright law goes digital

“The biggest shake-up in copyright law in over 30 years”, is how the Copyright Amendment (Digital Agenda) Act 2000 has been described.

The new legislation introduces many changes, here are the critical ones we all need to be aware of.

• A new “technology-neutral” right of communication, to the public, which covers copyright owners sending material electronically, for instance by e-mail, and making material available online.
• An extension of exception rules that already apply to hard copies of copyright material to digital versions.
• The right of the copyright owner to “first digitisation”, which translates to the right to convert hardcopy copyright material into electronic form.
• An extension of the statutory licence under Part VB of the Act and the library and fair dealing exceptions, which already apply to hardcopy works, to works in electronic form.
• An extension of the statutory licence under Part VA of the Act, to permit copying and communication of broadcasts in electronic form.

The following section considers in more detail statutory licences in the electronic realm…