Task 3 Legal and ethical considerations, codes of practice

and regulations

Copyright designs and patents act 1988 The copyright designs and patents
act 1988 is the current law in the UK when it comes to copyright. The law states that if
someone creates a work, whether it be literature, a play, musical, art, song, image, video,
film, sound recording or typographical arrangement of published editions, they have the
right to control what is done with it. This means that if someone else wants to use their
work in public whether they have edited the work or not, they would need to have
permission from the original Owner.

Ideas for a fictional work are not protected under copyright and names, titles and short
phrases, unless these combine to create a logo because in that case it is protected.
However, names can be trademarked but someone or a company would have to apply for a
trademark and it would only apply in the country that they applied for the trademark.

When it comes to literature, musicals, dramatic and artistic works, copyright only applies
for the Creator's life time and 70 years after their death. The copyright for sound
recordings lasts 50 years after the Creator's death and when it comes to Typographical
arrangement of published editions, the copyright lasts 25 from which it was published.

According to Oxforddictionaries.com, a Patent is A government authority or licence conferring

a right or title for a set period, especially the sole right to exclude others from making, using, or
selling an invention 1. This means that if you invent something like a type of medicine, then
others cannot produce your invention without your permission.

Ethical considerations

Confidentiality of information The Data Protection Act says that organisations,

businesses and the government cannot realise personal information of someone. This means
that I cannot put anything confidential about anyone in my Product.

Privacy laws There are laws on privacy when it comes to personal information.
According to Gov.uk, the Data Protection Act rules that an organisation, business or the
government insures that Peoples information is:

Used fairly and lawfully

Used for limited, specifically stated purposes
Used in a way that is adequate, relevant and not excessive
 Accurate
Kept for no longer than is absolutely necessary
Handled according to peoples data protection rights
Kept safe and secure
2
Not transferred outside the European Economic Area without adequate protection

For example, GAP Travel and I cannot publish any information about a Client and their
information must be kept secure.

Decency laws In the UK, there is no law banning nudity in public, however if it is proven
that the Person intended to shock people or cause offense, then that is a criminal offense.
Within my multimedia Product, I cant use any images of topless Women or naked people.
This is because many people might be offended by the sight of it.

Libel Laws Defamation is where someone damages the reputation of someone by

representing them in an untruthful way. There are two types of defamation and they are
libel and slander. Slander is defamation through verbal speech and libel is definition by
written speech. If someone is a Victim of defamation, then they can sue the Person or
organisation who defamed them. I cannot defame anyone or anything in my Multimedia
Product as it is illegal and unprofessional.

Representation In my multimedia Product, I need to represent People in a diverse way

and me and GAP Travel cannot discriminate based on

Race (White, Black, East Asian, Indian etc.)

Sexuality (Heterosexual, homosexual etc.)
Gender (Male and Female)
Ability (Physical disability, mental disability, no disability)
Nationality (British and otherwise)
Socio economic (Working class, middle class etc.)
Regionalism (North and south of UK)
Age (Young and old)
Beliefs (Religion, no religion, political beliefs etc.)
When it comes to secondary sources, I will need to ask permission from the original Owner
whether I can use it or not. There are websites where I can purchase Assets online and
some may even offer Assets that are royalty free.
Codes of practice and regulations

OFCOM Ofcom, short for Office of Communications is the UKs communication

regulator. They do things like making sure that someones privacy on television on and radio
programmes are not invaded and making sure that television and radio do not contain
harmful or offensive content. They issue the Broadcasting Code and according to Wikipedia,
it Requires that content inappropriate for children should not be broadcast between the hours of
5:30 AM and 9:00 PM 3. This means that content such as swearing, pornography, violence
and racism.

Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) It is an organisation that makes sure that

adverts in the UK follow the UK advertising codes. People can complain about adverts
which are deceptive, harmful or offensive. They also look at adverts themselves to check
that they are not breaking the rules.
British Interactive Media Association (BIMA) It is an organisation in the UK where
Members join a digital community. Members are connected on a network of people in the
digital industry.
Bibliography

1 - Oxford dictionaries. (2017). Patent. Available:

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/patent. Last accessed 22th September 2017.

2 - Gov.uk. (2017). Data protection. Available: https://www.gov.uk/data-protection. Last

accessed 19th September 2017.

3 Wikipedia. (2017). Ofcom. Available: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ofcom#Activities. Last

accessed 19th September 2017.

By Annie Magner