Online Privacy and Copyright Basics

• Protecting privacy online and copyright are critical aspects of navigating the digital world.
• Both involve understanding rights, responsibilities, and available tools.

Keeping Privacy Online

• Online privacy involves controlling what information you share online and who can access it.
• Personal Data: This includes any information that can directly or indirectly identify an individual.
• Examples of personal data: names, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, IP addresses, location data, online identifiers, and biometric data.
• Why Privacy Matters: Protecting personal information helps prevent identity theft, fraud, and unwanted surveillance.
• It also ensures freedom of expression and prevents discrimination.

Understanding Privacy Risks

• Data Collection: Websites, apps, and online services collect user data through various means.
• This includes tracking browsing history, search queries, purchase behavior, and social media activity.
• Cookies: Small text files stored on a user's device that track browsing activity.
• First-party cookies are set by the website being visited.
• Third-party cookies are set by domains other than the one being visited and are often used for cross-site tracking.
• Tracking Technologies: These include browser fingerprinting, web beacons, and tracking pixels.
• Browser fingerprinting creates a unique identifier based on a user's browser settings.
• Web beacons are transparent images used to track user behavior.
• Data Breaches: Security incidents where unauthorized individuals gain access to personal data.
• Phishing: Deceptive attempts to obtain sensitive information by disguising as a trustworthy entity.
• Social Engineering: Manipulating individuals into divulging confidential information.
• Location Tracking: Mobile devices and apps often track and store location data.
• This data can be used for targeted advertising, but also raises privacy concerns.
• Surveillance: Government and corporate surveillance can monitor online activities.
• Metadata: Data about data, such as timestamps, location data, and communication logs, which can reveal a lot about a person's activities.

Privacy Rights and Regulations

• GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation): A European Union law that protects the privacy and personal data of EU citizens.
• Key principles of GDPR: lawfulness, fairness, transparency, purpose limitation, data minimization, accuracy, storage limitation, integrity, and accountability.
• CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act): A California law that gives consumers more control over their personal information.
• Key rights under CCPA: the right to know, the right to delete, the right to opt-out, and the right to non-discrimination.
• Other Privacy Laws: Many countries and states have their own privacy laws.
• Examples: HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) in the US for health information and COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act) in the US for children's online privacy.

Practical Tips for Protecting Online Privacy

• Use Strong, Unique Passwords: Create complex passwords and avoid reusing them across multiple accounts.
• Use a Password Manager: Tools that securely store and generate strong passwords.
• Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second verification method.
• Review Privacy Settings: Adjust privacy settings on social media, apps, and online services to limit data sharing.
• Use Privacy-Focused Browsers and Search Engines: Browsers like Brave and search engines like DuckDuckGo prioritize user privacy.
• Use a VPN (Virtual Private Network): Encrypts internet traffic and hides IP address, protecting online activity from surveillance.
• Install Ad Blockers and Privacy Extensions: Tools that block tracking scripts, ads, and third-party cookies.
• Be Cautious of Phishing and Scams: Verify the authenticity of emails and websites before providing personal information.
• Keep Software Updated: Regular updates patch security vulnerabilities and protect against malware.
• Limit Location Tracking: Disable location services for apps that don't need it.
• Read Privacy Policies: Understand how websites and apps collect, use, and share data.

Protecting Works with Copyright

• Copyright is a legal right granted to the creators of original works of authorship.
• This includes literary, dramatic, musical, and certain other intellectual works.
• Copyright gives creators exclusive rights to control how their work is used, distributed, and adapted.

Understanding Copyright

• What Copyright Protects: Copyright protects original works of authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression.
• This includes books, music, movies, software, photographs, and other creative works.
• What Copyright Does Not Protect: Copyright does not protect ideas, facts, or discoveries.
• It protects the expression of those ideas.
• Copyright protects the form of expression rather than the subject matter.
• Exclusive Rights of Copyright Holders: Copyright holders have the exclusive right to:
  • Reproduce the work
  • Prepare derivative works
  • Distribute copies of the work
  • Perform the work publicly
  • Display the work publicly
  • Perform the work publicly by means of a digital audio transmission
• Copyright protects against unauthorized use of copyrighted material.
• Obtaining Copyright Protection: Copyright protection is automatic upon creation of an original work.
• Registration with a copyright office is not required but provides additional legal benefits.
• Benefits of Registration: Includes the ability to sue for infringement and to claim statutory damages and attorney's fees.
• Copyright Notice: Using a copyright notice (©, year, and name of the copyright holder) is not required, but it informs others of the copyright claim.
• Duration of Copyright: The term of copyright varies depending on the date of creation and the author's identity.
• For works created after 1978, the term is the life of the author plus 70 years.
• For corporate works, the term is typically 95 years from publication or 120 years from creation, whichever expires first.

Copyright Infringement

• What is Copyright Infringement: Occurs when someone violates the exclusive rights of a copyright holder without permission.
• Examples of Infringement: Includes unauthorized copying, distribution, adaptation, or performance of copyrighted work.
• Direct Infringement: Directly violating a copyright holder's exclusive rights.
• Indirect Infringement: Contributing to infringing activities, such as providing tools or services that enable infringement.
• Fair Use: A legal doctrine that allows limited use of copyrighted material without permission for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.
• Factors Considered in Fair Use:
  • The purpose and character of the use
  • The nature of the copyrighted work
  • The amount and substantiality of the portion used
  • The effect of the use upon the potential market for or value of the copyrighted work
• Creative Commons Licenses: Alternative to full copyright that allows creators to grant certain permissions for the use of their work.
• Different Types of Creative Commons Licenses: Vary in terms of attribution, commercial use, and derivative works.
• Public Domain: Works that are not protected by copyright and can be used freely by anyone.
• Works enter the public domain when the copyright term expires or when the copyright holder dedicates the work to the public domain.

Practical Tips for Respecting Copyright

• Obtain Permission: Seek permission from the copyright holder before using copyrighted material.
• License Agreements: Understand the terms and conditions of software, music, and other digital content licenses.
• Cite Sources: Properly attribute sources when using copyrighted material for educational or research purposes.
• Use Royalty-Free or Creative Commons Content: Explore options for using content that is freely available or licensed for specific uses.
• Avoid Illegal Downloads: Refrain from downloading or distributing copyrighted material without permission.
• Respect Digital Rights Management (DRM): DRM technologies are used to protect copyrighted content by limiting how it can be used.
• Educate Others: Promote awareness of copyright law and responsible use of copyrighted material.

Balancing Privacy and Copyright

• Tension Between Privacy and Copyright: Efforts to protect copyright can sometimes conflict with privacy rights, such as when monitoring online activity to detect infringement.
• Privacy-Enhancing Technologies: Use of privacy-enhancing technologies can help protect user privacy while respecting copyright.
• Examples: anonymous file sharing and private search engines.
• Responsible Data Handling: Copyright holders should handle user data responsibly and transparently, respecting privacy laws and regulations.
• Balancing Copyright Enforcement and Privacy: Striking a balance between protecting intellectual property and safeguarding individual privacy is essential for a healthy digital ecosystem.