Copyright Law: Vanilla Ice Vs. David Bowie/Freddie Mercury

INTRODUCTION
Now with the copyright law, Copyright Act, Chapter 63 established on 1987 with the new revised version on 2006, any author who creates their own original works automatically has the privilege to have copyright protection. Original works means works that are created with own effort and through processes of developed ideas and their whole new way to express their ideas in their final product. Not only are the works protected in their own country but also countries that signed the international agreements. Meaning works are protected in countries that signed the international agreements with the same effect as though the works was made there. Therefore, works cannot be produced without permission in another country.
Abuse of copyrights

David Bowie/Freddie Mercury. Vanilla Ice produced a song called Ice Ice Baby which was supposedly sampled from David Bowie and Queen’s Under Pressure. However, Vanilla Ice did not credit them and denied any of it. Later, Vanilla Ice released a statement saying it was a “joke”. David and Queen filed a lawsuit against Vanilla Ice and he confessed to have sampled the work. . Privately, they settled the conflict with Ice compensating a sum of money.
The second example is Rogers vs. Koons. Art Rogers is a photographer who shot a photograph of a couple with a line of puppies in their hands. He then sold it to be used for card-like products. On the other hand, Jeff Koons is a renowned artist who came across Rogers’ shot. He then used that as a reference to create a set of statues. He profited from that exhibit. Rogers sued Koons under the copyright law. The court rejected Koon’s defence, saying it was a fair form of parody. The court argued that Koon could have made the same statement without imitating Roger’s work. Koon had to pay compensation to Rodgers.

CAN OR CANNOT PROTECT WORK AND

In this case, SEAB would want to sue the website owners, for copyrights but, Celine Loi would argue back by stating she did not post any question or papers of their examination papers but only the answer they solved by themselves thus making it a strong argument. Also the defendants, can use Copyright Act’s fair-dealing provisions for research and study as her counter argument if she is sued to have copyrighted the exams paper. “fair dealing” in copyright act, Chapter 63, section 35, of the Singapore Statutes, means that there is a certain amount of copying for legitimate purposes, such as, education and researches. So as long as it is permitted it is fair dealing.

CONCEPTS IN THE COPYRIGHT ACT
Copyright is an intellectual property right which is legally enforceable. According to the concept in the Copyright Act, a copyrighted work prevents stealing and infringing of a person’s original creations.
These are the following works that can be copyrighted under the Copyright Act;
- Dramatic works (scripts,