Artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT, DALL-E and Stable Diffusion enable lecturers, researchers and students to generate texts and images for a variety of purposes. However, the use of these tools in a university environment raises complex questions about copyright. For example: can someone own copyright in AI-generated output and if so, who? And is copyright infringed when the training data used to generate this output contains copyrighted material? At the moment, it is difficult to give clear or definitive answers to these questions. Some general copyright information and guidelines are provided at EDU Support (University of Groningen) for...

Copyright is the English term for the Dutch term 'auteursrecht'. Although 'auteursrecht' is almost always translated as copyright, this translation is not entirely correct. There is a nuance between these two terms because they refer to two legal systems with different foundations. 'Auteursrecht' is a direct translation of the French 'droit d'auteur'. Its literal English translation is 'authors' rights'. These rights protect the author as a natural person. Under copyright law, the author has so-called moral rights, which in most cases are inalienable. Copyright focuses far more on protecting the investment in a work. The moral rights are missing in...

This is the exclusive right of the creator of a work of literature, science or art to publicly disclose and reproduce the work. Disclosure includes broadcasting a programme, performing a play or publishing a book in print. Uploading a work on the Internet is also a form of public disclosure. The reproduction of a work also includes translations, musical arrangements, adaptations into film or theatre versions and generally all full or partial adaptations or reproductions into an altered form that is not to be regarded as a new, original work.  Exploitation rights can be assigned.

Intellectual property law is about the fields of copyright, related rights, database rights and industrial property. Copyright is governed by the Dutch Copyright Act, Neighbouring Rights Act and Database Act. Music copyright is a special form of copyright. In mid-2015, Dutch copyright contract law was amended. The most important changes were the right to fair compensation, the deed requirement for licensing and the bestseller provision. Industrial property includes: Patent protection Trademark protection Trade name protection Drawings protection Design protection Integrated circuit layout design protection Topography protection Plant breeders' rights Trademark protection includes trademark registration with the Benelux Office for Intellectual...

The rules on lending copyrighted material by libraries can be found in article 12 en article 15-g of the Dutch Copyright Act. Stichting Leenrecht collects and distributes Dutch lending right fees.

This regulation allows heritage institutions to publish copyright protected musical works online without the need for permission from the rights holder(s). Providing these works are out of commerce or never have been. Agreements have been made for this between heritage institutions, rights holders and collective management organisations. Any heritage institution wishing to make use of this covenant must sign it as well. More information Convenant Muziekwerken (Dutch only)

This regulation allows heritage institutions to publish copyright protected audiovisual works online without requiring permission from the rights holder(s). Providing these works are out of commerce or never have been. Agreements have been made for this between heritage institutions, rights holders and collective management organisations. Any heritage institution wishing to make use of this covenant must sign it as well. More information Convenant Audiovisuele Werken (Dutch only)

‘All rights reserved’ means that you have to ask permission from the creator (or his assigns, such as inheritors or publisher) before you can use the work. Sometimes there are exceptions to this main rule, for example the Easy Access Agreement or the right to quote, so that you do not have to ask permission from the creator. Make sure you always carefully refer to the source. ‘Some rights reserved’ means that a work may only be used under certain conditions. See also the Creative Commons website for an explanation of the different types of licences used for this purpose.