Copyright plays a crucial role in the digital media industry in India by protecting creative works and ensuring that creators, producers, and businesses retain control over their intellectual property. It is governed by the Copyright Act, 1957, as amended, and is influenced by international treaties like the Berne Convention and TRIPS Agreement. Key Roles of Copyright in Digital Media: Protection of Creative Works Covers films, music, software, digital content, e-books, video games, and social media content. Prevents unauthorized reproduction, distribution, and adaptation of digital works. Exclusive Rights to Creators & Owners Grants rights to authors, musicians, filmmakers, and media houses to control how their work is used. Includes rights such as reproduction, adaptation, distribution, public performance, and broadcasting. Monetization & Licensing Enables revenue generation through licensing agreements, royalties, and digital streaming platforms. Digital platforms like YouTube, Spotify, and Netflix operate based on licensing agreements with content creators. Protection Against Piracy & Digital Infringement Copyright laws help combat online piracy, unauthorized downloads, and content theft. The Information Technology Act, 2000 and Copyright (Amendment) Act, 2012 provide legal mechanisms to take down infringing content online. Courts have allowed dynamic injunctions against piracy websites (Delhi High Court’s ruling in UTV Software Communication Ltd. v. 1337X.to). Fair Use & Exceptions Limited use of copyrighted content is allowed for education, research, criticism, and reporting. The fair dealing provision in Indian copyright law prevents abuse of copyright protection while allowing reasonable use. Challenges in Digital Media Copyright Difficulty in enforcing copyright in global digital spaces. Unauthorized content sharing on social media and messaging apps. The rise of AI-generated content and copyright ownership disputes. Digital Rights Management (DRM) & Technological Protection Measures Used by streaming services to prevent unauthorized copying and sharing of content. The Copyright (Amendment) Act, 2012 criminalizes the circumvention of DRM.

Copyright plays important roles in India's digital media sector by safeguarding creative works and preventing creators, producers, and companies from losing ownership of their intellectual property. Copyright is regulated by the Copyright Act, 1957, as amended, and international agreements such as the Berne Convention and TRIPS Agreement. Important Roles Played by Copyright in Digital Media: Protection of Creative Works Fees for movie, music, software, digital media, books, computer games, and social network posts online. Prevents reproduction, distribution, and adaptation without permission of a digital work. Exclusive Rights for Creators & Owners Makes creators of the work and proprietors entitled to control the application of their work. Comprises rights such as reproduction, adaptation, distribution, display public, and broadcasting. Monetization & Licensing Assists revenue accrual via license deals, royalties, and websites whereby digital music and movies may be streamed. YouTube, Spotify, and Netflix type websites are based on a model of licence deals with artists. Piracy & Cyber Infringement Protection Copyright law is employed to act against internet piracy, unauthorized downloading and copying of works. Information Technology Act, 2000 and Copyright (Amendment) Act, 2012 facilitate legal remedy for delisting pirated content online. Courts have permitted dynamic injunctions against piracy sites (Delhi High Court ruling in UTV Software Communication Ltd. v. 1337X.to). Fair Use & Exceptions Minimum use of copyrighted material is permitted for education, research, criticism, and reporting. Incorporation of fair dealing into Indian copyright law avoids misuse of copyright protection but permits reasonable use. Problems in Digital Media Copyright Difficulty in enforcing copyright in world digital sphere. Posting material on social networking sites and instant messaging platforms without authorization. Appearance of Artificial Intelligence-created contents and issues of copyright ownership. Digital Rights Management (DRM) & Technological Protection Measures Enforced by streaming services to stop unauthorized copying as well as redistributing content. The Copyright (Amendment) Act, 2012 criminalizes circumvention of DRM.