Copyright infringement laws
Infringement of copyright in Singapore is governed under the Copyright Act. A copyright is something that protects works such as books, music, art etc and gives the creator the right to reproduce, publish, perform and adapt his work
- It is an offence to sell or hire and expose for sale or hire when a copyright subsists in a work when one ought to have reasonably known that he was infringing on the originality of another’s work.
- Punishment: liable to a fine not exceeding $10,000 for each article that which was copied or $100,000 whichever is lower, and/or an imprisonment term not exceeding 5 years
- Having in possession or importing any piece of work that one knows has infringed copyright is also an offence subjected to the same punishment as above
- If a person commits an infringement that is wilful and significant to obtain commercial advantage, he may be given a fine not exceeding $20,000 or an imprisonment term not exceeding 6 months. The extent of significance of the infringement is an important factor to note in meting out punishments.
