Despite an annual decrease until 2021, online copyright infringement saw a 3.3% growth in 2022 and is expected to rise each year thanks to the popularity of AI and large language model systems for creating content online.
While the internet has been an incredible way to get your content out to the world, it has also been the facilitator for the distribution and unauthorized usage of copyrighted materials.
This post covers five new types of online copyright infringement that you will want to monitor as part of your online brand protection strategy. The goal of the post is to shed some light on how some bad actors online have been exploiting them and give you the tools needed so you can prevent them.
Understanding Copyright
A copyright represents the legal rights granted to creators over their work. It safeguards original works of authorship, including literary, dramatic, musical, and other specific intellectual creations.
Why Is Online Copyright Infringement Important?
Understanding what a copyright is will be essential for both the creators and consumers of online content. To share content online, creative works must be credited without overstepping the rights of the original authors and creators.
What Happens When a Copyright is Violated Online?
Violating copyright can lead to severe legal repercussions, including penalties and court orders to stop the distribution of copyrighted material.
The Rise of Online Infringement & 5 New Types to Monitor
The internet has made it significantly easier to access and distribute copyrighted materials without authorization, leading to an uptick in copyright infringement cases.
Here are the five new types of copyright infringement to monitor online.
1: Music Sharing Platforms
A notable case involved a widely-used music-sharing platform that hosted copyrighted songs without obtaining permission from the rights holders, leading to legal proceedings.
Watch for any unauthorized uploads of your copyrighted music on the platform. Users may illegally upload your songs without proper permission, potentially leading to widespread distribution without your consent.
It is essential to be vigilant with copyright infringement notices received from the platform or copyright enforcement agencies. These notices typically indicate instances where your copyrighted material has been identified without authorization.
2: Video Streaming Services
An instance is a video streaming service that offered copyrighted movies and TV shows, which resulted in a notable legal dispute.
Responding to any user complaints or reports regarding unauthorized use of your copyrighted content on streaming services is essential. Users may notify you directly or through the streaming service's reporting system, helping you identify and address instances of copyright infringement.
3: Ebook Distribution Websites
Websites that facilitated the free download of copyrighted books without the author's or publisher's consent have also been scrutinized. Additionally, online marketplaces that allow authors to self-publish their original works are also experiencing a rise in the production of copyright claims on submitted materials as some bad actors take a published work and attempt to distribute it as their own for profit.
4: Art Replication Websites
Sites selling replications of copyrighted artwork without the artist's consent exemplify another form of online copyright infringement.
To find unauthorized use of your art or images, use reverse image search tools to identify instances where your artwork is replicated without authorization. These tools can help you locate websites or listings that are using images of copyrighted artwork without the artist's consent.
5: Search Engine Ads
It is important to keep an eye out for advertisements that use your trademarked information without authorization. This type of infringement could include using your brand name, logo, or other trademarked elements in ad copy or display URLs without your permission.
Brandverity helps with monitoring for infringement in search ads. You can check out all of the details of our paid search monitoring tool to learn more.
Copyright infringement online is a widespread issue that demands continuous awareness and action from creators, consumers, and legal bodies alike. The first step in preventing it is monitoring it.
