Did you know today is World Intellectual Property day? Every 26th of April, WIPO – (World Intellectual Property Organisation) celebrate World Intellectual Property Day which aims at encouraging discussion of the role of intellectual property in fostering and also protecting innovation and creativity in the digital space.
Established in 1967, WIPO’s driving objective is to promote uniform legislation across the internet at an international level and to facilitate the resolution of disputes concerning intellectual property in the private sector. All in all, WIPO are akin to the regulators of intellectual property matters online.
Each year the event is associated with a specific theme. This year’s unifying theme ‘Get Up, Stand Up for Music’ focuses on worldwide intellectual property matters in the music industry. Why music you may ask?
Music is a fitting theme for this years anniversary as it is one of the hottest, most controversial topics in the realm of intellectual property.
From Robin Thicke’s ‘Blurred lines’ copyright controversy to Taylor Swift’s application to trademark her lyrics – it appears that hardly a day goes by without another ip dispute appearing in our newsfeed. Over the past few months copyright infringement, trademark violation and defamation within the music industry have been common themes and phrases headlining our newspapers and magazines. Indeed Taylor Swift has emerged as a staunch and stoic leader in protecting her brand and her ‘digital assets’. As a passionate supporter and advocate of Intellectual property rights for musicians and the music industry, she was recently quoted saying
“Music is art, and art is important and rare,” she wrote. “Important, rare things are valuable. Valuable things should be paid for.’
Considering the plethora of IP controversies in the music industry over the past year, the dotNice team think WIPO have chosen this years theme wisely.
For the day thats in it….Happy World Intellectual Property day!
dotNice – Experts in Digital Brand Protection
