“There are only so many notes and very few chords used in pop music – coincidence is bound to happen if 60 000 songs are being released every day…that’s 22 million songs a year and there are only 12 notes that are available”. Ed Sheeran’s words certainly ring true, in...
Copyright infringement hearings have certainly taken on a new meaning, after well-known musician, Ed Sheeran, recently performed bars of his hit, Shape of You, before the High Court in London in an effort to prove that portions of the chart-topper were not copied from...
Why use of unlicensed online images may constitute copyright infringement. All original images and photographs attract
Hot on the heels of the Jerusalema Dance Challenge that took the world by storm last year, a new challenge is developing for some organizations that uploaded videos online showcasing their brands and workforces dancing to South African DJ Master KG’s global megahit,...
Sources: Copyright Amendment Bill an issue for trade between SA and US (businesslive.co.za) Copyright Amendment Bill: US Trade Representative to review SA’s Preferential Trade status - Tech4Law The much-awaited analysis of the Copyright Amendment Bill and the...
As legally-binding protection over original works, copyright can be enforced by intellectual property (IP) attorneys, who can also assist those looking to become copyright owners. An IP attorney will be able to guide clients through application and action proceedings,...
Copyright protection and the laws surrounding copyright infringement are governed by the Copyright Act of 1978. Copyright is the legal protection of certain classes of original work. The owner of the copyright is given the exclusive right to utilise their original...
As first published in SAIIPL’s IP Briefs (Vol 2, Issue 7) August 2020. On the 22nd June, with the announcement of President Ramaphosa’s decision to refer the Copyright Amendment Bill (the “Bill”) and the Performers’ Protection Amendment Bill back to Parliament, a...
Well-known musician Neil Young is suing the presidential campaign of Donald Trump, calling on the campaign to stop all use of his music at Trump rallies. These songs include “Devil’s Sidewalk” and “Rockin in the Free World”. Mr. Young is apparently of the view that...
The Copyright Amendment Bill (“the CAB / the Bill”) has caused much debate and controversy in the protection of Intellectual Property rights in South Africa. One of the main points of contention is the fair use policies the CAB seeks to implement, which are similar to...
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