The Internet , The Law and Writers

Today it is almost vital for a business to have some kind of e-commerce aspect to it, and that is just as true for writers. Rather you have chosen to share just a few short stories via download from your website, or you are publishing all of your novels online, you need to know a little about the online world of e-commerce law and what technology and the law mean to you.

One of the places that a writer is most likely to encounter issues with technology law is in the case of creating literature that accompanies software or other technology. Such instances would likely be covered by a non-disclosure agreement, which is intended to protect the hard work of a person when they share their information with someone else and there is concern that the work might be shared with third parties.

Another aspect that writers are far too familiar with is copyright infringement. In today's world, where information can be world wide at the click of a mouse, it is important to know something about international technology law especially as it pertains to your particular markets for writing.

While the Berne Convention offers copyright protection in most countries, it is still vital for a writer to understand exactly what that means and when it is not enough. If in doubt, and you fear you might have an issue with your intellectual property being adequately protected, then you should consult a lawyer that is well versed in copyright law and intellectual property protection.

Nothing can protect your work one hundred percent, at least nothing short of locking it up in a safe and never letting anyone see it until the day you burn it. If you want to share your creative efforts with the world, then there is the chance that you are going to find that someone else has decided they want to try to use your created content for their own purposes, most likely monetary gains of their own. When that happens you will need to know that you have all of the necessary protections to safeguard your intellectual property.

It is important to note that you do not need to rush out and get a copyright for every blog post you make, or every article you write, not even for every novel you write. You simply should familiarize yourself with the laws so that if you do come across a situation where you need something other than the instant copyright afforded by the Berne convention, you know what you need and why you need it.