Intellectual Property (IP)\u00a0is any tangible result of having an idea\u00a0and can be protected for the owner under a number of different IP\u00a0rights (IPR)\u00a0including patent, design, trademark and copyright law. Information about the types and scope\u00a0of IPR can be found at the UK government’s\u00a0Intellectual Property Office<\/a>\u00a0web site.<\/p>\n The JISC funded\u00a0Web2Rights<\/a>\u00a0project has considered the use of Web 2.0 technologies in Higher and Further Education and the implications they might have on IPR and other legal issues.\u00a0The\u00a0Web2Rights<\/a>\u00a0project site is an excellent resource\u00a0for understanding IPR in the developing digital world,\u00a0and includes\u00a0animations, podcasts, diagnostic kits and flow charts.<\/p>\n Web2Rights – the animation. Check out this JISC funded animation:\u00a0Intellectual Property Rights in the Web 2.0 world<\/a>\u00a0also available on the JISC website. The six-minute animation is accessible and colourful, portraying in a light-hearted way some of the issues involved via three typical case studies: a researcher, a lecturer and a student. These examples pinpoint areas where confusion exists, or even where many may not consider IPR to be an issue at all, and signpost back to the online diagnostic tool for further guidance and information. (from\u00a0Web2Rights<\/a>)<\/p>\n Copyright is granted automatically and does not involve an application process. Copyright protects the skill and effort expended in creating something new, and protects literary works, images, music, moving images, films, TV and radio broadcasts, sound recordings and databases, amongst others. Copyright and\/or the closely related database right protect all Web sites. The lifetime of copyright is typically 70 years after the death of the creator. Unlike the other forms of IPR, there are significant exceptions to the monopoly rights enjoyed by a copyright owner, allowing third parties to copy, adapt and disseminate copyright materials under certain controlled circumstances, e.g., for non-commercial research or private study. There are a number of other rights traditionally associated with copyright but which are distinct from it, including database rights, performers\u2019 rights and moral rights. (from\u00a0Web2Rights<\/a>\u00a0IP and Web 2.0 Factsheet\u00a0<\/em>at\u00a0http:\/\/www.web2rights.org.uk\/documents.html<\/a>)<\/p>\n A factsheet\u00a0summarising the key aspects of copyright law in very accessible language\u00a0can be found at\u00a0Fact sheet P-01: UK Copyright Law<\/a>.\u00a0The duration\u00a0of protections specific to the type of work can be seen in\u00a0section 6 of the fact sheet.\u00a0Restrictions to\u00a0what may be done with a work, for example copying or broadcasting are prohibited, can be seen in section 7, and allowed uses including time shifting of broadcasts or making backup copies of computer programmes are\u00a0listed in\u00a0section 8.<\/p>\nCopyright<\/h1>\n