Copyrights Law in Isle of Man (Crown Dependency)
Certainly! Here's an overview of Copyright Law in the Isle of Man, a self-governing British Crown dependency:
🇮🇲 Copyright Law in the Isle of Man
The primary legislation governing copyright in the Isle of Man is the Copyright Act 1991, as amended by the Copyright (Amendment) Regulations 2013. This Act replaced the United Kingdom's Copyright Act 1956 and was largely based on the UK's Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 (Part I). Subsequent amendments have extended the duration of copyright and covered electronic transmission of works.
📘 Key Features of the Copyright Act 1991
1. Protected Works
The Act protects a wide range of original works, including:
Literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works
Sound recordings
Films
Broadcasts
Cable programme services
Published editions
Computer programs
Databases
Protection is granted automatically upon creation, without the need for formal registration.
2. Duration of Protection
The duration of copyright protection varies based on the type of work:(Wikimedia Commons)
Literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works: 70 years from the end of the calendar year in which the author dies.
Sound recordings: 50 years from the end of the calendar year in which the recording is made, or 50 years from the end of the calendar year in which it is first published, whichever is later.
Films: 70 years from the end of the calendar year in which the death occurs of the last to die of the following persons: principal director, author of the screenplay, author of the dialogue, or composer of music specially created for and used in the film.
Computer-generated works: 50 years from the end of the calendar year in which the work was made.
Works of unknown authorship: 70 years from the end of the calendar year in which the work was made, or if during that period the work is made available to the public, 70 years from the end of the calendar year in which it is first so made available.
3. Rights Granted
The Act grants authors and rights holders the exclusive rights to:
Reproduce the work
Issue copies to the public
Rent or lend the work
Perform, show, or play the work in public
Communicate the work to the public
Make adaptations of the work(Mondaq)
4. Crown Copyright
The Act includes provisions for Crown copyright, which applies to works created by Her Majesty or by an officer or servant of the Crown in the course of their duties. Crown copyright in a literary, dramatic, musical, or artistic work continues to subsist until the end of the period of 125 years from the end of the calendar year in which the work was made, or if the work is published commercially before the end of the period of 75 years from the end of the calendar year in which it was made, until the end of the period of 50 years from the end of the calendar year in which it was first so published. (
5. Amendments and Modernization
The Copyright (Amendment) Regulations 2013, effective from 1 April 2013, introduced changes to the Act, including:
Extension of the duration of copyright in various fields.
Introduction of a "making available right," extending rights to include communication to the public by electronic transmission, relevant for digital platforms.
📌 Summary Table
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Governing Law | Copyright Act 1991, as amended |
| Duration | Varies by work type (e.g., 70 years for literary works) |
| Protected Works | Literary, artistic, musical, audiovisual, computer programs, etc. |
| Registration | Not required; protection is automatic upon creation |
| Enforcement | Civil remedies and criminal sanctions |
| Crown Copyright | Applies to works created by the Crown; duration up to 125 years |
| International Treaties | Berne Convention, Rome Convention, WIPO Copyright Treaty |
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