Internet and Copyright: In search of effective model for content use

Participants of a roundtable discussion on protection of intellectual rights within St. Petersburg International Economic Forum believe that not tough legal measures but establishment of an effective model for using content, which would suit authors, right holders, consumers, will help to limit the spread of intellectual property piracy on Internet.

Svetlana Mironyuk, Chief Editor of RIA Novosti news agency, stressed that the agency, which produces up to 7,000 content items like texts, photos, video and audio files every day, is directing enormous efforts towards protection of intellectual rights.

“The experience I have gained within several years of uncompromising struggle against illegal use of content, which belongs to RIA Novosti, makes me think that a tough approach to protection and punishment for illegal use of content proves to be ineffective. The amount of efforts spent in order to discover this content, and then hard work of the team of lawyers is a storm in a teacup. The point is not in a tough punishment but in a search of an economically effective model, which would convince illegitimate users of content not to use it”, S. Mironyuk added.

At the same time the Chief Editor highlighted that in the light of the digital divide problem it is necessary to think about provision of equal access to content, part of which is protected by copyright as a result of the civilization development history.

Plenipotentiary representative of the RF government in State Duma Andrei Loginov called to take care of not only right holders, but authors as well, who are content creators.