Prior to the reading, I felt that it was actually very difficult to infringe upon most copyright laws. I was well aware of the fact that most of them have very tight-knit specifications on what external users can and cannot do in terms of material use, but I didn't realize how easy it was to enforce and elaborate on those set rules. Though they seem overtly specific, the copyright laws typically cover a very broad spectrum of elements within overall product design. Something as simple and (seemingly) obsolete as the font used on Coca-Cola cans can easily infringe upon copyright laws if the proper precautions are not taken and clearances are not obtained. I think that the way these laws are enforced is a bit excessive sometimes, but I fully understand the reason behind their nitpicking; if I was the first soda company to make a marketable soft drink containing cocaine, I wouldn't want it being mistaken for some cheap Pepsi knock off.
Questions:
- How long after a copyright is granted does it take to enforce the law?
- What kind of taxation is involved with copyrighting something? Does the government heavily profit on "our" ingenuity?
- With plagiarism agreements in schools, does all of my work technically have a copyright?
