Why Do Canada And Europe Copyright Money?
from the questions,-questions,-questions? dept
We've discussed in the past the odd idea that any government should be able to copyright anything it produces, but plenty of governments still do maintain things like "crown copyright" or other similar concepts for content they create. Yet, it looks like some countries have gone one step further. They copyright their money. Yes, Michael Scott points us to a blog post from an American law professor, Eric E. Johnson, who was on a trip to Canada and was surprised to discover that they have copyright notices on their paper currency. Of course, this should make you wonder: if you counterfeit some Canadian money are you also on the hook for copyright infringement violations? Or is there some other reason for the copyright notice. Are they afraid other nations might copy the design without compensation?Finding the whole thing bizarre, but remembering that I have some Canadian currency from my last trip there, I checked -- and, indeed, in tiny print in the lower right-hand corner, there is a copyright notice. And then... bonus. Tucked in with my Canadian cash was a 5 euro bill as well... and it also appears to have a copyright notice on it right at the top in the center (though, it's tiny). I did a quick search, and indeed, it appears that the design of the euro is also covered by copyright with specific limitations on copying. Of course, I thought that was what counterfeiting laws were for -- so why even bother with copyright?
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Security through obscurity...
And wow - that's an even worse theory when I see it typed... :-)
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Probably nothing to do with the whole bill
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Answer from inside the Helmet:
Apparently, and I'm still reading up on this, it has something to do with trademark law, actually. The idea is that if the Euro is copyrighted, as is it's dingbat and/or logo, then you cannot use such images and/or logos in a trademarked image as a citizen or corporation.
You know more about this stuff than I do, so you can tell me whether that makes sense from a legal standpoint...
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I have an answer.
Simple. When the judicial system fails to convict those who counterfeit, the civil system will tag them with statutory damages.
It's a fail safe system.
/sarcasm
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Re: I have an answer.
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Re: Security through obscurity...
Which is actually pretty sensible, even if it's not exactly what copyright was designed for.
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Art
My guess is whatever contract the mint has with the artists assigns the copyright of the bill's design to the government of Canada, and the copyright notice is evidence of this agreement.
I don't buy the vaguely conspiratorial theory that it is somehow meant to augment anti-counterfeit laws. I think this is a fairly clearcut (and, given the law, legitimate) case of an artistic design falling under copyright.
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Making currency is a business
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UK money too
The extra "protection" whereby copyright laws could prevent copies being made which weren't being passed off as real (ie the billboards mentioned above) sort of makes sense, but I see plenty of pictures of money in various films, TV series, adverts etc. I guess it maybe depends on how similar those copies are, it's difficult to tell on the screen.
Although, you have to ask - if copyright is to promote the creation of art, would people really not print money if they didn't have copyright protection? :)
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Another techduh story of wonder...
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Simple Answer
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Re:
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Re: Art
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UK too...
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Um, because copyright is even more draconian than criminal law? You don't see criminals who steal a CDs worth of music from Walmart being ordered to pay million dollar judgments.
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Looking at a eurobill, the design and artwork obviously falls under copyright.
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I think they just wanted another layer of protection to allow them to prevent people getting even close...
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Copyrighted Money
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Re:
http://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:moosY_DeIk4J:www.artquest.org.uk/artlaw/money/
"Take another look at the new £5 note: '© THE GOVERNOR AND COMPANY OF THE BANK OF ENGLAND 1990' is printed on both sides of the note in the bottom left-hand corner. A unique occurrence in the history of English currency; and an original contribution to the historical lineage linking art and money. Why? We asked the Bank of England and were told that the Boggs case certainly 'focused their minds' on the question of reproductions and artistic use of their images. "
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yeah, that's the ticket
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Re: Re: Security through obscurity...
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Re: yeah, that's the ticket
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Re:
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Re: Probably nothing to do with the whole bill
i remember very well the royal bank did that
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Re: yeah, that's the ticket
*DING*
Comment of the day.
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Why do you need to copyright....
Because a publisher will only print it if they get exclusive rights to print it.
This ain't Kinkos, people!
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Re: Re: Probably nothing to do with the whole bill
I would assume that the royal bank would be related to the copyright holder. Or maybe not...
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Art (bis)
They don't bother with anything. In most EU countries, every artwork or speech or written paper is protected by copyright (exceptions are laws and court deliberations). There is no need to bother or register anything. Coin or banknote design is obviously an artwork, thus it is protected by copyright. Copyright notice or symbol (c) is a bonus, it is not required.
Only the US had the (good) idea that work done on behalf of the federal state should be public domain. Feel free to convince the EU Commission to pass an equivalent bill.
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Re: Re: Art
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Re: Simple Answer
so counterfeiters can be kicked off the internet after being accused 3 times
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counterfeiting versus reproductions
Their reasoning is explained here:
http://bankofcanada.ca/en/banknotes/legislation/repro.html
They make exceptions for video usage and also go into more detail with:
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The Bank's goals with respect to the reproduction of bank note images
Although the Bank is the copyright owner of the images used on Canadian bank notes, it recognizes that currency is an important symbol of value in Canada. Accordingly, people may wish to reproduce images for appropriate reasons. The Bank will ordinarily consent to such reproductions if
a)there is no risk that the reproduced image could be mistaken for a genuine note or misused by counterfeiters
b)the proposed use does not tarnish the dignity and importance of currency to Canadians.
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I would assume the EU and Britain's logic is somewhat similar.
Judging how i see little plastic $10,000 key chains in the tourist stores, I don't think this is overly enforced.
-Joe
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Re: Re:
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Re: Re: Re: Art
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Re: Re: Simple Answer
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Real Reason
After they get 3 strikes and proactive-policement their next move will be to get copyright infringement punishable by death.
Judge: "I am really sorry but all fair use has been removed from law so I am going to have to give you the chair."
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Eurpêan copyright on money
Turkey once made a coin that looks and had the size of a 2 euro coin but with a lower value. And these ended up in the euro-country's. And people started using them in vending machines, so money was lost with selling products out of vending machines, but they were also use in gabling slots.
So that's why they probably copyright their currency.
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Re: European copyright on money
(Copyright, if it applies, only protects the drawing, which at the moment is not used by vending machines to identify coins.)
2) Where exactly would you like to sue the government of Turkey for infringing copyright of euro coins? In a tribunal located in Turkey --where the process will be discarded for national interest-- or in the EU --where the government of Turkey did not by itself commit any offense (the only offense here is made by the customer trying to pay with a coin without legal tender)?
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Re: Security through obscurity...
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Re: Re: Security through obscurity...
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copyright of money
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Re: Re: Security through obscurity...
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Re: copyright of money
Is there a translator in the house?
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