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
VIEW ALL NEWSSTM Defends Copyright in AI Case
STM has filed an amicus brief supporting authors in the Kadrey v. Meta litigation, which challenges Meta’s use of copyrighted works to train its generative AI systems. The brief underscores that Meta knowingly copied and distributed large volumes of copyrighted content sourced from notorious piracy websites—including Z-Library, Libgen, Sci-Hub, and others—that have been repeatedly shut…
New STM Draft Report: Classifying AI Use in Manuscript Preparation
STM has released a new draft report, Recommendations for a Classification of AI Use in Academic Manuscript Preparation, developed by the STM Association’s Task & Finish Group on AI Labelling Terminology. This draft is now open for community consultation. While publishers have long offered guidance on disclosing human assistance—such as language editing—recent advances in generative…
STM submits comment on Canada’s open access plan
STM, along with cOAlition S and library organisations across the globe, provided feedback on the new draft revised Tri-Agency Open Access (OA) Policy on Publications. Our comment supported the flexibility in the draft policy while making several suggestions for changes or clarifications: Maintain recognition of publisher investments in vetted, validated, peer-reviewed articles Find ways to…
Spotlight on accessibility: resources, best practices and a chance to connect
This month, STM’s Social Responsibility Committee is focusing on accessibility. We kicked things off with a dynamic panel discussion exploring inclusive publishing practices at our US conference earlier this month. We’ve also launched a new online Accessibility Resource Centre offering members practical guidance and tools to support accessible publishing. Preparing for the EU Accessibility Act?…