Copyright: its implications for electronic information

This paper presents an overview of copyright, its history, and implications for electronic and multimedia. The international treaties on copyright are listed and the status of copyright protection in select countries is covered, including copyright law enactment, term, scope, sanctions, percentage of piracy and revenue loss in software piracy. Copyright issues for e‐information, the Internet and library and information centres are discussed. Digital copyright protection technologies – ECMS, watermarks, fingerprints and digital signatures, etc. – are described. It is concluded that copyright law has not disappeared with the evolution of technology and the development of a globalised IPR regime is recommended.