Copyright FAQs

What is copyrighted material?

Copyrighted material includes original works such as literary (poetry, novels, movies), dramatic (movies, plays), musical, and other artistic works (computer software and games, architecture, etc.) These works are protected by federal law for the benefit of their creator.

What is the Digital Millennium Copyright Act?

The Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), signed into law in 1998, makes it illegal to copy or share intellectual property – including music, videos, games, software and other materials -- without permission.

What if I don’t see a Copyright © symbol, can I use that material?

No. Creative works are under copyright protection the moment they are created and fixed in a tangible form that is perceptible either directly or with the aid of a machine or device.

Is it really illegal to share music and movies from my computer?

Yes. If you download movies you may not legally share them unless you get permission from the creator/owner to distribute them. Purchasing a song or a movie for your own personal use does not give you the right to share it with others.

How does a copyright holder know I misused their copyrighted material?

Copyright holders routinely scan the Internet for violations. If they find such a violation on the BYU–Hawaii network, they notify BYU–Hawaii who must take action. If you are found to be illegally sharing copyrighted material, you face disciplinary action by the university as well as the potential for civil and criminal charges.

What could happen to me if I violate the copyright laws?

You could face both civil and criminal penalties for copyright infringement.

Civil penalties can be between $750 for relatively minor infractions to $150,000 per violation for willful infringement.

Criminal penalties for willful infringement range from fines of up to $250,000 and imprisonment for up to 5 years in prison.