Web2.0, IPR and other Legal Issues
Within the context of academia, a wide range of new and developing services, software and other technologies are being deployed, developed and adapted to engage and communicate with staff, students and new audiences. The software and technologies are diverse and are reshaping user engagement, the concept of “community” and experiences within the context of teaching, learning, research and administration.
However, Web 2.0 technologies, present interesting challenges for Intellectual Property (IP) Rights and other legal issues. Profound issues and questions that arise include:
- Do IP rights exist in a virtual world and, if so, who owns them?
- Who owns the rights in works that are a result of collective collaboration?
- What happens if you can’t find the rights holders?
- What are the legal risks associated with Web 2.0 engagement?
- How can risks associated with content reuse be sensibly managed?
Web2Rights is a JISC funded project, whose purpose is to develop a practical, pragmatic and relevant toolkits to support the projects funded within the JISC Users and Innovation Programme in their engagement with next generation and Web2.0 technologies and emerging legal issues, such as IP, libel and accessibility.
There are a number of ways in which these projects will engage with Web2.0 and the resources created here will be relevant for projects which are:
- Adapting and deployment of pre-existing tools, technologies and software
- Developing new tools, technologies and software
- Adapting and using own content
- Use of third party created content
We anticipate that these tools will also be useful for other projects funded by JISC, JISC Programme Managers, organisations represented by the Strategic Content Alliance, the wider Higher and Further education communities, and other organisations engaged with the web.
