Information Law in Practice

Law changes rapidly. Since the first edition of this book in 1991 there have been tremendous changes - European Union measures, a new Defamation Act and Data Protection Act, amendments to copyright, and new problems from the Internet. This second edition has been comprehensively revised and updated to reflect these changes. Copyright, patents, and confidential information are marketable commodities needing the protection of law. This is not a book for the legal specialist but a readable guide to information law for those in the information management field. It includes many examples of legal cases and helpful explanations of the different kinds and causes of legal action. One chapter is devoted to electronic data issues and two to copyright abroad and transnational protection of intellectual property. Whilst the main emphasis is on copyright - written, visual, musical and multimedia - other areas of intellectual property, particularly patents, are discussed, and advice given on trade marks, passing off and related issues. The author explains the legal principles of data protection and privacy, libel, freedom of information, official secrets, censorship, obscenity, blasphemy, and racial hatred. Full statute and case references are included in the book. Information scientists, librarians and others in modern information and media management will find this book an invaluable reference for what they can and can’t do with information they manage and distribute.