Copyright and the web

With digitisation, copying has become very easy. Text, pictures, video, photographs, computer programmes and sound recordings are easy to transmit and receive around the planet, and the copy is indistinguishable from the original. This ease of copying tends to make us forget about copyright and ownership. However, the vast resources of the internet, while often freely distributed, are protected by copyright, and should be dealt with carefully.

If you want to use material found on the web for your research and study, you may do so under the fair dealing provisions and use up to 10% or 1 chapter of a work, but remember that you are restricted to using the material for that purpose only.

You should also check the terms and conditions on the internet site and establish if the terms allow you to use the work for purposes, such as research, education or non-commercial purposes. You should confine yourself to personal use of the material and don't plagiarise.

Using Bond University computer equipment to download, upload, share or store music, television programs or movies without the permission of the copyright owner is a breach of the University’s Information communication technology acceptable use policy and may cause you to be involved in disciplinary action, and to have your account suspended. You will also be vulnerable to prosecution by the media industries.