By Idris Olukoya
Lagos State, Dec. 14, 2023(NAN) Dr John Asein, Director-General, Nigerian Copyright Commisssion, has unveiled strategies in tackling digital piracy and online content management.
Asein disclosed plans at the one-day workshop on online content management and digital piracy, organised by NCC, on Thursday, in Lagos.
I am particularly delighted to welcome you all to this workshop organized to share experiences and draw up strategies on the management of online content and the challenges of digital piracy.
"The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to providing an enabling environment for the digital economy to thrive, promote wealth creation and contribute to national development.
"The new Copyright Act, 2022 which was signed into law this year seeks amongst other things to guarantee adequate protection of rights and provide for effective enforcement of those rights, particularly in a digital environment, " he said.
According to him, the Act, which is a product of extensive consultations and robust stakeholder engagement has as its four cardinal objectives, to:
(a) Protect the rights of authors to ensure just rewards and recognition for their intellectual efforts.
(b) Provide appropriate limitations and exceptions to guarantee access to creative works.
(c) Facilitate Nigeria’s compliance with obligations arising from relevant international copyright treaties and conventions.
(d) Enhance the capacity of the Nigerian Copyright Commission for effective regulation, administration, and enforcement of the provisions of [the] Act.
Asein said that, It is against the backdrop of the foregoing that the Commission has continued to engage with right owners, users, intermediaries and facilitators to formulate appropriate regulatory and administrative frameworks for the effective implementation of the provisions of the Act.
"This workshop would focus on the delicate balance between the rights of content creators and the responsibilities of service providers in tackling the menace of piracy online.
"The advent of digital technology has challenged traditional copyright paradigms. More than ever before, creative content which is the oxygen without which digital technology would be unattractive is being threatened by different forms of abuses, " he said.
Mrs Sandra Oyewole, spoke on the Protection of digital content under the copyright act 2022.
Oyewole said that, Copyright Act contains elaborate provisions to safeguard copyright content online.
See pictures below
Similarly, Mr Frikkie Jonker, Anti-puracy Director, Iredo, spoke on online piracy and the creative industry.
Jonker said that, online piracy poses a serious threat, not only to the creative industry – film, music, book, software, visual art and broadcasts – but also a threat to national security and critical infrastructure.
He added that, the risk of malware could easily compromise vital information and threaten the safety of online transactions.
Although several reasons may be advanced for the phenomenal rise in illegal downloads and other copyright abuses, the impact is better imagined as right owners lose expected incomes, jobs are threatened, and the nation’s creative economy is threatened.
"Many musicians and film makers today are unable to recoup the return on their intellectual and financial investments due to the illicit activities of pirates, " he said.
Mr Obi Ezielo, Director Operations, NCC, spoke on challenges of enforcing the law against online piracy.
He said that, the Commission will take proactive steps to ensure that Nigeria is not turned into a piracy hotbed or a hub in the online piracy network.
To this end, a Special Online Investigation Unit has been set up to monitor sites, investigate complaints and enforce online violations.
So far, the unit has recorded modest success, but we are confident that, working with other relevant agencies, it will henceforth more speedily take down infringing materials, block websites and arrest infringers.
"It will also be taking steps to control the import, sale and use of devices that are primarily designed or configured to circumvent technological protection measures.
"The attention of intermediaries is also drawn to their possible liabilities under the Act for aiding or procuring others to commit an offence under the Act in which case they would be liable to the same punishment as prescribed for the commission of the main offence, " he said.
NAN reports that the Internet Service Providers and Back Bone internet providers who were present at the Workshop pledged to support NCC in the fight against online piracy.
They also suggested that NCC should engage more in these enlightenment programs so that the general public will be more conscious of the need to shun pirate websites.
The workshop was also attended by some government agencies who are also important players in the fight against online piracy, these include, EFCC, NITDA to mention but few.
The moderator of the workshop, Mrs Lynda Alpheaus, Director, Lagos office handle the general questions, where some of the issues for the panel discussions were addressed.(NAN).(www.nannews.ng).
SIO
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