HA1 Task 7: Legal Obligations in the Video Games Industry

IP:  Intellectual property refers to creation of the mind and can be intangible. IP can include the creation of artistic, literary and inventive works or even symbols, names, images and designs used in commerce.

Copyright: Copyright, is a legal concept, which gives the creator of an original design exclusive rights to it. It is “the right to copy” but also means that the copyright holder can be credited for the work financially benefit from it and other related rights. It comes under the Intellectual Property act and it is applicable in any form of an idea.

Most jurisdictions see copyright as a “fair way” of giving certain exceptions to the creators exclusivity rights. The development of digital media and computer network technologies have prompted reinterpretation of these exceptions, introduced new difficulties in enforcing copyright, and inspired additional challenges to copyright law's philosophic basis.

  Trademark: A Trademark is a distinctive sign or logo that is attached to an individual business, organization or other legal entity. This used to be identified as a certain product or service to the consumer market.  There are three different trademark signs;

TM  (An unregistered Trademark, used mainly to promote and brand goods.)

SM  (An unregistered Service Mark, used mainly to promote and brand services.)

 (For a registered Trademark.)

Patent: A patent is a set of exclusive rights given to an inventor in exchange for a public disclosure for the invention. The invention must meet certain requirements, and the exclusive rights to the inventor just means that their invention cannot be made, sold, used or distributed without the inventor’s permission.

Registered Designs: The Design Act of 2003 was made to protect the visual look, style or design of a product. This is not applicable however for the functionality or innovation of a product or design. Britain also has a design right, providing automatic protection for 15 years from the date of creation.

Bibliography

http://www.wipo.int/about-ip/en/ - IP info

hawkip.com – IP Illustration

law.ed.ac.uk-Copyright image

en.wikipedia.org- Info

decodeunicode.org- Copyright and Trademark signs

reidsteel.aero- Patent Certificate

www.sloperama.com- Contractual Info

matnagger-mcnagger.blogspot.com- Gender Sign

jonchoo.blogspot.com- PEGI Signs

http://www.womeningames.com/- Info

bafta.org- Picture of Miyamoto-san

spong.com