Sunday, December 2, 2007

Access Copyright Sues Staples/Business Depot for Copyright Infringement

Access Copyright, an organization representing the copyright of almost 9,000 Canadian writers and publishers, is suing Staples/The Business Depot for copyright infringement.

The lawsuit, filed by Access Copyright, contains the largest claim to arise from copyright infringement of published works in Canada.

The lawsuit seeks $10 million in damages, including a claim for punitive damages.

Staples/Business Depot is a sizeable, for-profit organization that has built part of its business through a lucrative service that exploits the published works of authors, photographers and publishers. Companies that photocopy illegally are effectively taking money directly out of the pockets of creators and publishers who depend on book sales and copyright royalties for their livelihood.

"Companies that profit from illegal photocopying are undermining the work of others," said Maureen Cavan, Executive Director of Access Copyright. "Staples/Business Depot is no different from those organizations that profit from illegally downloading copyright protected music or the unauthorized sharing of videos and published works on the internet."

Access Copyright (http://www.accesscopyright.ca/) has been continuously investigating Staples/Business Depot since 1998 in response to concerns raised by creators and publishers over infringement activities. Despite repeated attempts by Access Copyright to reach a settlement and come to an amicable resolution, Staples/Business Depot has made no perceivable changes to their business practices.

No comments: