IT and Copyright: Issue of free licenses use on Internet in spotlight

The Ministry of Communications and Mass Media of Russia has started deciding on an issue concerning use of free licenses in conditions of Internet development, said the Minister Igor Shchegolev at the meeting of the Ministry of Communications and Mass Media May 11, 2011.

He mentioned that it is planned to work out a unique digital tag which would mark all objects protected by copyright. “It will enable authors and rightholders to record their rights and announce terms of use of their intellectual property”, Igor Shchegolev explained. It means that authors will get an opportunity to transfer their rights to the work to an unlimited number of users.

“We call for automated registration of copyright content on Internet, - the Minister mentioned. – The most crucial step will be creation of the national information and communication platform for loading, processing and distribution of digital content”.

Igor Shchegolev stressed that the agency was consistently opposing piracy, along with this, he believes, that introduction of free licenses “will speed up cultural exchange, improve possibilities of using Internet as a learning environment, encourage developers who will express desire to jointly write the code”.

“Free licenses will encourage authors who would like to determine the distribution scheme for their products on their own without intermediaries, while citizens will only benefit”, Igor Shchegolev supposes. In his opinion, balance between rightholders and consumers is to restore the market”.