JOINIntellectual property
Intellectual property (IP) refers to creations of the mind, such as inventions; literary and artistic works; designs; and symbols, names and images used in commerce.
IP is protected in law by patent, copyright, and trademark law. These laws enable people to earn recognition and/or financial benefit from what they invent or create.
The IP system aims to foster an environment in which creativity and innovation can flourish by striking a balance between the interests of creators and the public.
Copyright law
Copyright law (sometimes referred to as authors’ rights in continental legal regimes) is a legal discipline that describes the rights that creators have over their literary and artistic works.
Works covered by copyright range from books, journals, articles, music, paintings, sculpture, and films, to computer programs, maps, and technical drawings. The selection and arrangement of data may also be eligible for copyright protection.
Copyright law is the mechanism through which publishing houses are able to manage the content they own and license, and the bundle of rights can be divvied to achieve an appropriate balance of protection (e.g., so that publishers can recover their investment), openness (e.g., for public access), and responsible stewardship of the scientific record (e.g., by enabling right holders to pursue legal remedies for pirated and compromised content.
The Latest from STM
STM submitted comments on copyright and AI in India
On 6 February, STM finalised its submission to the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) in response to the Working Paper on Generative Artificial Intelligence and Copyright, which proposed introducing a statutory licensing scheme for AI. Other global and local publishing organisations, as well as additional rightsholders, also made submissions. STM will…
NSF implements immediate public access requirements
On January 22, NSF announced an immediate update to its public access policies in its Proposal and Award Policies and Procedures Guide (PAPPG). Effective immediately for new “financial assistance awards,” NSF grant recipients are required to deposit an accepted manuscript to the NSF Public Access Repository (PAR) immediately “at or before the time of publication.” On…
STM comments on NSF Strategic Plan
In January, NSF released a draft 2026-2030 Strategic Plan. The draft is briefer and more high-level than previous plans, outlining nine objectives along with high-level strategies to achieve them and measures of success. Of particular interest to STM members, NSF proposes to measure success of the first objective — “Uphold tenets of Gold Standard Science while…
NIH and most science agencies funded for FY2026
On Tuesday, February 3, after a brief partial government shutdown, Congress funded the remaining parts of the government for the remainder of Fiscal Year 2026 (with the exception of the Department of Homeland Security). The final bill included funding for NIH and other remaining science agencies. Funding for NIH was increased slightly (~1%), while DOD’s…