Although large corporations usually benefit from professional advisors and anti-piracy experts to protect their copyrights online, the bulk of the problem they face is overseas pirate sites.
Launched in June, this new portal is supported by the Japanese Agency for Cultural Affairs. The latter first takes up the basics of copyright and then allows people without experience to send takedown notices directly through the site.
Since June, the platform has already expanded with, in particular, an anti-piracy consultation office open since August 30th. So even if after visiting the portal, take advantage of all the information available, local rights holders still need assistance, they finally know where to turn.
Because if on paper copyright law offers protection to all creators, in reality the ability to act against piracy is often linked to the resources of the copyright holder. Not everyone has the time or the financial capacity to settle disputes and/or hire a lawyer.
Thus the establishment of free legal assistance for rights holders wishing to protect their content against copyright infringement fills this gap, in particular when this infringement takes place abroad.
A growing threat
In recent years overseas piracy has posed a growing threat to local copyright owners in Japan. So much so that the Ministry of Cultural Affairs published a report last March detailing the various possible responses to cross-border piracy, including the creation of a new consultation office to help licensees.
« Counseling office accepts interviews regarding copyright infringement, etc. from rights holders. The consultation is accepted from the consultation receipt form on the portal site“, can we read in the official announcement.
« In principle, responses will be by email, and depending on the case, it is assumed that a free personal interview with a lawyer will take place online or otherwise. », poursuit-on.