Six months after being legislated last November, The Israel Copyright Law 2007 comes into effect later this month.
The Law, in English, is found here:
http://www.tau.ac.il/law/members/birnhack/IsraeliCopyrightAct2007.pdf
The Law replaces the 1911 Copyright Ordinance inherited from the British, which was replaced in 1956 and again in 1988.
Interesting points in the Israel Copyright Law include:
1. It’s brevity
2. that it has taken 60 years for Israel to come up with a copyright act.
3. that the 1911 Copyright Ordinance inherited from the British has managed quite well until now
4. The law covers architecture but does not cover industrial design, which is covered by the British Patent Ordinance. A new design law is in the making however.]
5. In contrast to the US Digital Millennium Act, the Law does not relate to modern technologies. If such laws are expected to last nearly a century before replacement, this is probably a good thing. Nevertheless, laws that do not relate to changing issues might be seen as missing the boat as it were.
7. The law allows Education Ministry to decide on an educational exception.
8. The copyright of certain commissioned works such as wedding videos belongs to the client, not to the creator.
9. Journalists do not have the same rights re regarding reproduction of their scoops. This is an interesting exception concerning public interest.
10. Computer programs are considered as literary works, but it is permissible to make backups and to copy from one medium to another.
11. Crown copyright no longer exists. Anyone can freely reproduce legislation.
Companies in the software industry have new ammunition in defense of their IP. I am a consultant familiar with software copy protection systems that strike a balance between piracy and user-friendly operation.
Uniloc recently began shipping software copy protection software that defends software publisher IP from theft. Maximum Software, a software development firm that focuses on PC software is using SoftAnchor by Uniloc. The technology does allow casual sharing which is important to promote viral product awareness and distribution but can be configured by the software publisher to prevent excessive piracy.
Significant in this technology is Maximum Software’s capability to quantify software piracy levels and adjust licensing strategies in real-time to set policies addressing casual sharing, open sharing and piracy.
Most software IP protection models can be broken, but Uniloc uses Physical Device Recognition which is based on the fundamental principle that no two digital devices are identical. Physical Device Recognition technology generates a digital identity for a device, known as its “Physical Device Fingerprint.” This fingerprint is made up of a combination of machine characteristics and properties that are generated using a set of proprietary algorithms. The Physical Device Recognition algorithms allow the unique, reproducible identification of a device with accuracy more precise that DNA. This results in the ability to smoothly identify requesting devices, allowing users to re-activate updated devices, while managing the ability to install trial versions.
Protecting IP in the software industry can be tricky business but new technologies are addressing the challenges.
25/1/11
As I understand your assessment of the Israeli copyright scene, there are currently (in 2011) NO provisions for a US copyrighted ebook which has recently been translated from English to Hebrew. I am led to believe that the most viable means of protection available to me is registering the Hebrew version of my ebook with the US copyright service. Thus, my work would be covered by the WTO 1995 agreement to which Israel is a signator. Please let me know if I correctly understand the scoop of Israeli copyright law and am proceeding in the correct manner to protect my text. l appreciate your response.
Sincerely,
Deborah Rubin Fields
No, you missunderstand completely.
A US book is copyright protected in Israel due to the Berne convention. It does not matter if the book was publishes as an ebook or as a printed volume.
There is no need for formal registration in a copyright depositry(in US or Israel) to obtain copyright protection in Israel.
A simple copyright notice providing the year of publication is of value.
There will be separate copyright in the translation on top of the copyright of the original author.
Does the Israeli Copyright Act grant related rights or rather copyright protection in the strict sense for other achievments than work?Which concept does the Act follow?
Many thanks!
Not sure I follow.
Can you rephrase?