Copyright infringement

Copyright infringement occurs when copyright material is used either without permission of the copyright owner or when copyright material is not used under one of the specific exceptions or provisions that are allowed under the Copyright Act. Authorising another to use material that is not copyright compliant is also an infringement. Authorising infringement can occur by linking to infringing material on the web or by instructing someone else to infringe copyright.

Staff and students should be aware of the University's policies on intellectual property (IP) and computer use, as well as related topics. The links below provide further information:

• Provision and Acceptable Use of IT Policy (MPF1314)
• Intellectual Property Policy (MPF1320)
• Management of Research Data and Records Policy (MPF1242)
• Student Academic Integrity Policy (MPF1310)

The University can be held liable for any copyright infringement made using its equipment or networking facilities.

There are many practical steps that you can take to avoid infringing copyright:

• Understand when you can use copyright material and be aware of your obligations. There are exceptions in The Copyright Act (Cth) 1968 that allows material to be used for teaching and research or study.
• Be aware of the copyright status/legitimacy of material. Check that material is from an authorised source. Many websites make material available without permission from the creator or the copyright owner. By pointing others to these sites you could be infringing copyright.
• Do not download free music or movies from unauthorised sites. The illegal downloading of music and movies can be subject to disciplinary action from the University and legal action from the copyright owner.
• Ensure that printers, scanners, photocopiers and other audio-visual recording equipment display the appropriate copyright warning notices. Equipment that can be used to copy or reproduce material such as printers, scanners, CD burners, photocopiers etc. should have a copyright warning notice displayed on them to remind users of their copyright obligations.
• Educate students on Australian educational copyright - Provide information students via LMS pages or as part of course information. This is particularly important if students are sharing material publicly or working collaboratively in online environments.
• Contact the Copyright Office if you need any form of copyright assistance. Information sessions can also be run on request for departments or faculties and tailored to suit their needs.

If a staff member or a student infringes copyright, remind them of their obligations. If the situation needs escalation or assistance is required refer the matter to your Head of Department or the Copyright Office for assistance.

If you receive notification, known as a takedown notice, from a copyright owner alleging that University equipment or facilities have been used to infringe copyright, contact the Copyright Office immediately.