On the Bookshelf - Are Maps Copyright?

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Certain types of work are protected especially tightly. The most common are maps. Its tempting to think the content of maps is factual but because they never precisely represent the real world implies a degree of art. Since teams of lawyers are employed by cartographers specifically to detect infringement and then take action against it any unauthorized reproduction is extremely ill advised.

In Britain, where copyright laws are similar to those in Australia, the Automobile Association recently paid Ordnance Survey 20 million pounds after being caught copying maps.

It's all too common to assume you can get away with infringement by modifying the original work. Media Owners protect their intellectual property and are unlikely to be fooled. The damages will be higher if the judge believed the defendant deliberately concealed the infringement.

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