Copyright protection standard – the filmai.in case
At the end of January, a widely publicized court decision in the Filmai.in case highlighted the serious legal consequences of copyright infringements. Copyright holders whose works are illegally distributed online can take legal action, including:
✔ Requesting website blocking through the Lithuanian Radio and Television Commission
✔ Demanding content removal from website administrators
✔ Seeking criminal liability and financial compensation from individuals benefiting from illegal distribution
Businesses can acquire copyright-protected works through direct agreements with authors or licensed distributors, such as:
✔ Ordering logos, video ads, or digital content
✔ Purchasing stock photos or footage from legal platforms
✔ Automatically obtaining copyrights to employee-created works for five years (except for software unless otherwise agreed)
When drafting agreements with authors, suppliers, or employees, businesses should clearly define:
✔ The scope of the work
✔ The extent of rights transfer (duration, region, etc.)
✔ Liabilities and warranties to ensure legal compliance
✔ Copyright fees and payment terms
✔ Legal safeguards to verify rights ownership before sublicensing
Even standardized corporate GDPR compliance documents may qualify as copyrighted works, reinforcing the importance of legal due diligence.
Not only piracy sites like Filmai.in but also other digital platforms can be held accountable for copyright violations if they:
✔ Knowingly allow unauthorized content but fail to remove or block access
✔ Ignore signs of infringement and do not implement reasonable preventative measures
✔ Facilitate illegal content sharing or actively promote such activities
Legal Recommendations for Businesses
📌 Verify that licensed works comply with copyright laws
📌 Conduct legal and technical due diligence
📌 Ensure contracts contain strong copyright protections
With growing legal scrutiny on copyright enforcement, businesses should proactively secure their intellectual property rights to avoid potential liabilities.
