The concepts of copyright and plagiarism have significant importance as the creators and consumers of different types of content tend to engage with information in dynamic ways. Whether you are a student, professor, or content creator, it is important to familiarize yourself with plagiarism and copyright infringement laws to prevent yourself from any sort of punishment. 

Although both the terms are interchangeably used in general, there are eminent differences between them. Both copyright and plagiarism relate to the fraudulent use of someone else’s work, but they are used in different aspects and have distinct implications. In this blog post, we will analyze the comparison between copyright and plagiarism, their key aspects, their consequences, and the ways to avoid them in an effective manner. 

Plagiarism differs from copyright 

Plagiarism can be defined as the fraudulent use of someone else’s idea, work, information, or any other content without proper attribution or permission from the author. It is a form of intellectual theft and is punishable in both the academic and professional world. This term is mostly related to academia but is not limited to just written content but rather includes images, videos, or other creative content. 

Key Aspects of Plagiarism

• Lack of Attribution: Plagiarism involves exploiting someone else’s work, ideas, or thoughts without proper attribution to the original source. 
• Breach of Academic Integrity: Plagiarism is considered a breach of academic integrity as it involves dishonesty and undermining the responsible and ethical use of information.   
• Ethical Violation: Plagiarism cannot be considered a legal breach of law unless it involves copyright infringement. Rather it is an ethical violation as it spreads deception and erodes truthfulness. 
• Damage Reputation: In professional and creative fields, plagiarism has the potential to damage one’s reputation and can further lead to legal action, if copyright infringement is involved. 

Consequences of Plagiarism

The repercussions of plagiarism depend on the severity of the offense.  To explore the mild to extreme consequences of plagiarism, explore our blog. 

Real Life Example of plagiarism

Consider a student who writes a research paper and fails to provide proper attribution to one of the paragraphs taken from another source.  

It will fall under the category of plagiarism because the student is not cheating the entire product i-e the article in this case. 

Defining Copyright Infringement  

In simple words, it means a violation of the rights. Copyright is a legal term that gives the original creator of the product and the one they give authorization to, an exclusive right to copy the product. Copyright infringement laws are very important in the marketing industry and vary from country to country with certain implications depending on public interests.  

Key Aspects of Copyright Infringement

• Exclusive rights: Copyright grants the original creator exclusive rights to display, distribute, reproduce, and create derivative products based on the original ones. 
•  Duration: Copyright protection usually lasts for a lifetime depending upon the jurisdiction of the particular country and type of product. 
• Registration: While copyright protection is automatic, creators can register their work with the copyright office for additional legal benefits such as the ability to sue for statutory benefits. 
• Limited Fair Use: Copyright infringement laws provide limited fair use of copyrighted material for the purpose of criticism, comments, analysis, news reporting, etc. 

Consequences of Copyright Infringement

The major problem that occurs with the infringement of copyright laws is public humiliation. Once a case is found, the accused is notified to stop using the content of the original author without adding the attributions. If the issue still persists, then it will lead to court hearings and if found guilty then the person has to pay a hefty amount in the form of money or deletion of their content.  

In extreme cases, sometimes criminal charges are also filed against the person. 

Example of Copyright Infringement

If a person creates music that features entire lyrics or tunes written by someone else without getting their permission.  

This act will be termed copyright infringement and not plagiarism as it involves fraudulent use of the whole product without permission. 

Comparison between Plagiarism and Copyright

This table defines the comparison between the two

COMPARISON	PLAGIARISM	COPYRIGHT
Legal vs Ethical	Plagiarism is ethical dishonesty and more related to academic discourses.	Copyright infringement is a legal concept and can be taken to the court of law for protection.
Exclusive Rights vs Attribution	Plagiarism is related to a lack of attribution and permission from the original author.	Copyright grants the original creator exclusive rights to control their products.
Duration	Plagiarism can occur at any specific time when someone fails to attribute to the original source.	Copyright protection usually lasts for a lifetime
Implications	Plagiarism is an unethical conduct that results in damaging one’s reputation.	Copyright infringement claims legal implications and can be taken to court of law.

Example of Plagiarism and Copyright Infringement

Let’s say a student copied and pasted a large section of text from a website into his research paper without proper attribution. This act will be considered plagiarism.  

Moreover, if that website is protected by copyright, the student would be entitled to breach the legal right of the website owner which can be called copyright infringement.  

Ways to Avoid Copyright Infringement and Plagiarism

Plagiarism and copyright infringement can cause serious consequences for the alleged individual. Therefore, they should be avoided in every possible manner. Plagiarism detectors can be used to find the copied content which enables the writer to include proper attribution to relevant data or seek permission from the original author. 

Moreover, precisely reading copyright terms and conditions can help to avoid a breach of law which leads to legal implications. 

Conclusion

Copyright and plagiarism are two separate concepts that revolve around the basic idea of fraudulent utilization of someone else’s content. However, they carry distinct applications and consequences in the realms of law, ethics, and academia. Copyright safeguards the exclusive privileges of original creators regarding their work, whereas plagiarism entails a failure to properly acknowledge the original sources, ultimately leading to ethical breaches and academic misconduct.

Therefore, successfully navigating the fine line between copyright infringement and plagiarism ensures a conscientious approach. It involves properly recognizing the original source, proper attribution, understanding the concept of fair use, and showing respect for intellectual property rights. In a world driven by knowledge and information, embracing these principles becomes imperative for the advancement of society in an effective manner.