Copyright Protection Act
Copyright Protection Act
Preamble
Whereas no formalized copyright protections exist, this law establishes copyright protections for original content created within SimDemocracy, promoting creativity, fairness, and respect for intellectual property.
The following will be enacted into law by the Senate of SimDemocracy.
Article 1: Title
§1. This act shall be known as the “Copyright Protection Act”.
Article 2: Definitions
§1. Copyright: The legal right of a creator to control the use, reproduction, and distribution of their original content.
§2. Original Content: Any work independently created by an author, exhibiting a minimal degree of creativity, and fixed in a tangible medium of expression, making it eligible for copyright protection.
§3.. Creator: The legal entity that produces original content within the community.[1]
Article 3: Scope of Copyright
§1. Copyright protections shall retroactively apply to original content in any form that can be considered intellectual property.
§2. Copyright grants the creator exclusive rights to:
- §2.1. Reproduce the work.
- §2.2. Distribute copies of the work.
- §2.3. Modify or adapt the work.
- §2.4. Authorize others to use the work under specific terms.
Article 4: Fair Use and Exceptions
§1. Members may use copyrighted content without the creator's explicit permission if it is reasonably deemed to be for journalistic, educational, research, commentary, criticism, satirical, parody and/or transformative purposes.[1]
§2. Any use falling outside these exceptions requires explicit consent from the copyright holder.
§3. Any content or work produced in the furtherance of official duties for the government shall not be eligible for copyright protections.[1]
Article 5: Dispute Resolution
§1. Disputes related to copyright claims shall be resolved through the Judiciary of Sim Democracy and Copyright infringement shall be treated as a tort in civil law.
§2. The burden of proof lies with the plaintiff to demonstrate ownership of the content.[1]
§3. Remedies for infringement may include:
- §3.1. Removal of the infringing content.
- §3.2. Issuance of warnings or penalties to the infringer.
- §3.3. Compensation to the creator, as deemed appropriate by the Tribunal or Judiciary.
Article 6: Responsibilities of the DoEX and Public Domain[1]
§1. The Department of Expansion shall have the responsibility to register copyrights upon relevant requests by creators. The Registry shall include relevant information such as the Work’s Title, Creation Date, Creator’s legal name and the Registration date.[1]
§2. The Department shall submit a report to the Senate every 2 weeks summarizing the number of registered works, resolved disputes, and any recommendations for improving copyright protections.[1]
§3. The copyright registry shall be freely accessible online, ensuring transparency and providing the public with a reliable source of copyright information.
§4. Registration fees, if any, shall be nominal to ensure accessibility for independent creators and small organizations. Fee waivers shall be available for those who demonstrate financial need.
§5. Information registered with the Department shall be protected under privacy laws, ensuring that creators retain control over sensitive information while enabling public access to non-sensitive copyright details.
§6. All content shall pass into the Public Domain 1 years after creation.
§7. Any citizen of SimDemocracy or the State of SimDemocracy may challenge copyright registrations with the Department of Expansion.[1]
- §7.1. The burden of proof here shall lie with the defendant to demonstrate ownership of the content and the decision shall lie with the Secretary of Expansion but it may be appealed in the lower courts.[1]
Article 7: Implementation
Amended[1]
§1. This law shall take effect 10 days after its passage allowing for previous content to be registered and copyrights to be obtained by creators.§1. This law shall take precedence over any existing legislation regarding Copyrights.[1]
