Is Copyright Violation A Crime

Music, film and publishing industries around the world lose billions of dollars annually due to copyright violation. Even though the act of copyright violation is a theft of someone else’s property, there are not enough laws providing legal protection against illegal use of intellectual property.

As per the United States Copyright Law, any person who willingly violates a copyright is punishable under the law. However, the punishment only involves imposing penalties towards monetary damages caused as a result of copyright violation committed by the infringer. The court can also issue injunction notice against any infringement that might happen in the future. In most cases, a copyright violation is prosecuted through private lawsuits filed by the copyright holder or those who have been granted exclusive license on the copyright. All the issues related to copyright violation come under the civil lawsuit and it is not possible to initiate any criminal proceedings in these types of situations.

In order to initiate any legal proceedings regarding copyright violation, it is important to have evidence in the form of documents. It is important to prove that the infringer has violated the copyright law with the objective of gaining commercial advantage. It is also necessary to establish that the work was reproduced and was being prepared for commercial distribution by electronic means.