Periscope
Video-sharing: copyright violations unchecked
Meanwhile, some websites have made deals with copyright owners on distributing copyrighted contents legally. The agreements are also expected to benefit those copyright owners in extending their audience reach.
Earlier this year, YouTube entered into a partnership with CBS and NBC separately to provide their television programmes on the site.
In Hong Kong , local film producers are also hopeful about this kind of cooperation between websites and copyright owners. Crucindo Hung Cho-sing, the director-general for Hong Kong , Kowloon & New Territories Motion Picture Industry Association, said local filmmakers were still observing the situation, but preferred copyright matters to be solved by commercial deals.
He said copyright infringement of local films on video-sharing sites was not serious. There were only trailers uploaded on the sites but seldom the whole films. ˇ§I doubt how many people view (a film) like that,ˇ¨ Mr Hung said.
Mr Sin suggested publishers and copyright owners to furthur develop ˇ§digital rights managementˇ¨, a technology that helps control peopleˇ¦s access to and usage of digital data or hardware. Local copyright owners may also provide legal and convenient platforms for web users to download entertainment products .
There are a few local websites for legal downloading of copyrighted materials. One example is PCCWˇ¦s moov.now.com.hk site, which allows users to download songs.
Still, the most fundamental way to stop copyright violation is to educate the public about intellectual rights, Mr Sin said.
Although there are technical difficulties in persecuting copyright violators, the government reminds the public of the serious consequences for infringement.
Parody not a defence
Under the law, anyone who uploads copyrighted videos on video-sharing websites and is distributing the videos to an extent that it damages the rights of copyright owners faces penalties up to a fine of $50,000 for each infringing copy and imprisonment for four years.
Uploaders can hardly defend themselves for infringing copyright. According to Yap Po-jen, an assistant professor of law at the University of Hong Kong , u sers can only legally make use of copyrighted materials such as for private research or study, news reporting or judicial proceedings. Uploading those materials to a sharing website is clearly outside the defence, Mr Yap said.
