When you are a writer in the United Kingdom, you will definitely be interested in how the UK copyright law works to protect your particular work, whether it is intellectual property or design patents, copyright protects your rights so that others cannot use or steal your work.
In the UK, the use of copyright is as old as the common law itself, being a part of the “Statute of Anne 1709” where the protection of intellectual property was paramount to protect those who designed or created something that could be sold. It gave way to the “Copyright Law of 1911” then to the current law “Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988”. This law provides the control and rights of this particular property to its creator, and covers those who create literary works, musical pieces, artistic pieces, drama, recordings of music and films to name a few. The laws cover who has the right to broadcast or even to perform the works of the people who originally created them, as well as the rights to sell, rent or distribute these pieces.
There are many different types of work that are covered in the copyright law such literary works which includes books, eBooks and in some cases audio books as well. It protects programs, magazines, newsletters and printed news sources and it also extends to the manuscripts and the manuals written but not yet published. This means that if you wrote it, then you are the rightful owner and you have the control over anything that you have written.
Another thing that is covered when you are the creator of intellectual property throughout the United Kingdom is dramatic and musical pieces that have been written or composed by you. These includes plays you have written, dances that you have created, recordings of music you have made and the score to that music also.
If you happen to be an artist the copyright law also protects your works of art which includes sculptures you have made, buildings you were the architect for, the logo you designed for your company as well as the pictures you took of your children. Also covered in this law are films or movies that have been created All of these things are protected in the Copyright law of the UK.
In 1992, computer programs were added to the list of things that were covered in the list of items that are covered in the copyright laws through the “Copyright Regulations 1992”. So if you designed it created it or wrote it you will be safe from those who would steal it, sell it or pirate (computer programs) it, by using the UK copyright laws.
