COPYRIGHT & INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY POLICY


There are two categories that copyrightable materials fall under:

  1. Traditional Works
  2. Non-Traditional Works

Traditional Works: Traditional Works include published articles, manuscripts, books, artworks, music, instructional materials, and other creative products, developed into a tangible medium, whether it is physical or digital.

Non-Traditional Works: Non-Traditional Works include software and other technologies used to support the electronic capture, storage, retrieval, transformation and presentation of digital data and information or to interface between digital forms and other communications and information media.

MediaTech Institute’s policies in regard to copyright infringement via the Internet prohibit the illegal downloading or unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials using MediaTech’s information technology system. MediaTech Institute’s policies prohibit use of our computer network to engage in illegal copying or distribution of copyrighted works such as by unauthorized peer-to-peer file sharing (i.e., the sharing of copyrighted works, typically in digital or electronic files) without permission.

A violation of MediaTech Institute’s policy for use of its information technology system can result in termination of network access for the student and/or other disciplinary action including removal of the student from the school. Moreover, there are severe civil and criminal penalties for copyright infringement under federal law. A copyright owner is entitled to recover actual damages and profits resulting from an infringement, but also may recover statutory damages ranging from $750 to $30,000 per work for a non-willful infringement and up to $150,000 for a willful infringement, even if there is no proof of actual damages, in addition to court costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees. The government also can file criminal charges that can result in fines and imprisonment.