Protect Your Business Right Now
What is it?
There’s a popular saying that we learn from a young age: “nothing is created, everything is copied”. This has a name: plagiarism. And there’s nothing funny about it – it’s a crime! It seems kind of obvious. After all, this material isn’t yours, so you’re not allowed to share it.
It is obvious, but that does not mean that people abandon this practice, even knowing that reproducing texts – even if they are just excerpts of ideas or content without giving credit to the true author – constitutes a crime under Law No. 9,610, of February 19, 1998, which governs Copyright in Brazil.
If you remember that college assignment where the group copied a little bit they found on the internet, yes, it is plagiarism. But it goes much further than that. Have you ever stopped to think about the amount of duplicate content that exists on the internet? And as for the layout, have you ever had the feeling of finding a website that is very similar to one you have visited before? Yes, plagiarism!
Unfortunately, this is such a common practice that there is even a verb for it: “kibar.” And there are many professional “kibadores” who make a living copying content from websites and publishing it elsewhere, ensuring that it is all original.
But we have good news: it is possible to prevent someone from appropriating the content of your website. After all, the internet is an endless sea of information, but it is not a no man’s land.
This protection is possible thanks to a type of copyright registration. In short, by registering a website you ensure the best way to protect its authorship, as well as its content, layout, design and exclusive use.
How does it work?
Imagine the following situation: you access a website, fill in your details, download an e-book and save it on your computer. Now it’s yours, right? Wrong.
Just because content is freely available to download does not mean you have the right to it. You can read it whenever you want, and you can even let someone else read it. But you cannot reproduce the material as your own.
The same goes for your company’s website. Everything written there is a reflection of what you represent to the market. Every word, expression, image and even the layout of your website must be designed to attest to your credibility, presenting your products or services and confirming your experience.
Now, imagine seeing all of this copied on a competitor’s website? And it doesn’t even have to be in Brazil! There are professional “kibadores” who specialize in copying content from websites in other countries and reproducing it in another language.
Registering your website not only gives your page more legitimacy, it also gives you a tool to defend yourself against copies and imitations.
Website registration protection covers the website’s layout, designs, own images and texts. However, third-party content, news (including blogs) and informative texts are not eligible for protection and are therefore excluded from registration.
This registration is made at the National Library (RJ), through its Copyright Office (EDA), which will provide a certificate of authorship, which can even be published on its website. And, once granted, the registration is valid internationally and there is no renewal fee.
Layout and content guaranteed
There you have it, now you know: it is possible to guarantee the protection of your website’s content and layout. Everything you make available online can (and should!) be registered to ensure your rights. In fact, not just yours, but your customers’ rights as well.
There are many people out there with a single mission: to find a loophole to copy data, impersonate your company, and thus gain access to your customers’ data. Imagine the inconvenience and damage this could cause to your brand?
Furthermore, producing original content is something that adds value to the website, but it is undoubtedly an activity that takes time and requires professionals who are prepared for it. Therefore, if you have created excellent content for your website, there is a good chance that it will become a reference. Likewise, it can be the target of numerous copies, reproductions and plagiarism, problems that you can avoid by registering your website.
Another reason to only use original content and not copies: Google does not give authority to sites that practice plagiarism, no matter how small the copied excerpt is. In other words, the chances of appearing on the first page of search results when a customer searches for your product or service are practically non-existent. Even boosts can be affected if your site contains copied and low-quality content. It’s not worth it.
Also, pay attention to the website’s visual identity. You may even find references that you like and layouts that match what you are looking for your website. But remember: copying the visual identity or source code of a website constitutes copyright infringement. Believe me, it is worth investing effort and resources in designing and creating the layout of your website’s visual identity, and it is essential to register this work.
Website registration is not mandatory. However, it is an important, necessary and essential tool to prevent fraud, facilitate transactions such as advertisements and commercial negotiations for the website, and of course, the safest way to prove the authorship of your content and layout.
Quality and trust in the website registration process
After reading everything you’ve read so far, it’s clear that you need to register your website. This is an important investment that guarantees your rights and further protects your brand and business.
But while at first glance trying to do everything yourself may seem like the quickest and cheapest way to go, on the other hand it means taking on activities that you don’t master and that may take more time than necessary.
Believe me, hiring a specialist is always the best option and this also applies to registering your website.
At VILAGE, we have a team of professionals who work continuously with this type of registration and are ready to provide guidance and prevent even the smallest mistake from disrupting the process. The knowledge, technical quality and skill of these specialists eliminate the risk of errors and reduce waiting times.
Frequently Asked Questions
This protection covers the website’s layout, designs, own images and texts. Third-party content, news (including blogs) and informative texts are not eligible for protection, so these sections of the website are excluded from registration. Registration allows for the recognition of authorship, specifies moral and patrimonial rights and establishes protection periods for both the owner and his successors.
Website registration is a type of copyright registration that guarantees the best way to protect the website’s authorship, content, layout, design and exclusivity of use.
This website registration is done at the National Library in Rio de Janeiro, the highest body in the control and registration of Copyright.
Yes, in any situation. After all, the moral rights to the photograph, work or music always belong to the author and the rights to dissemination, use, commercialization and licensing belong to the owner, who may not necessarily be the author.
No, it is not mandatory. Its content is merely declarative. However, its absence exposes the content and layout of your website to copying and plagiarism.
No. Payment for the registration request must be made via GRU (Union Collection Guide
