Legal Definitions - WCT

WCT stands for the WIPO Copyright Treaty.

The WIPO Copyright Treaty (WCT) is an international agreement designed to update and supplement existing international copyright law, primarily the Berne Convention, to address the challenges and opportunities presented by digital technologies and the internet. Adopted in 1996, the WCT ensures that creators' rights are adequately protected in the digital environment, particularly concerning the online distribution and communication of their works across national borders. It clarifies and strengthens protections for authors of literary and artistic works, including computer programs and databases, in the digital age, and also includes provisions against the circumvention of technological protection measures (like encryption) and the removal of rights management information.

• Example 1: Global Online Art Gallery

  An artist creates a unique digital painting and licenses it to an online gallery based in a country that is a signatory to the WCT. If someone in another signatory country illegally downloads and distributes copies of this digital painting without permission, the WCT provides a framework for the artist to seek legal recourse. It ensures that the artist's exclusive right to make their work available to the public digitally is recognized and protected internationally, even when the unauthorized distribution occurs across borders via the internet.

• Example 2: International Software Distribution

  A software development company based in one WCT signatory country creates a new productivity application. They implement digital rights management (DRM) technology to prevent unauthorized copying and use. If individuals in another WCT signatory country attempt to bypass this DRM to illegally distribute the software online, the WCT provides a legal basis for the software company to enforce its rights. The treaty specifically addresses the protection of computer programs and includes obligations for member states to provide adequate legal remedies against the circumvention of technological protection measures.

• Example 3: Digital Music Streaming Service

  A musician releases a new album, making it available through a global digital music streaming service. The WCT helps ensure that the musician's rights, including the right to authorize the communication of their work to the public (like streaming), are protected in all countries that are parties to the treaty. This means that if an unauthorized platform in a WCT signatory country were to stream the music without a license, the treaty provides a legal foundation for the musician or their representatives to pursue action, recognizing their copyright in the digital realm across international borders.