Digital Media Copyright: Policy and Legal Challenges

Abstract

The rapid progress of digital media, media market and information technologies poses complicated questions for copyright law. Replication and distribution of digital products and innovations via the internet deprives copyright holders of licensed sales revenue. Intellectual property rights are granted to copyright holders under national laws and regulations. Digital products however are copied and distributed worldwide in the presence of such laws and regulations. Significant developments took place in supporting copyright following the adoption of new international agreements on intellectual property that build upon the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (Berne Convention), usually known as the Berne Convention. This paper aims to examine legislative and other measures needed for protecting creative works in Iran, including the application of international copyright principles. It also reflects on whether the Berne Convention applies to digital media files or not.