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86 J.L. Pol'y & Globalization 183 (2019)
Awareness of Copyright Laws among Select Nigerian University Students

handle is hein.journals/jawpglob86 and id is 183 raw text is: Journal of Law, Policy and Globalization www.Lste ISSN2224-3240 (Paper) ISSN2224-3259 (Online) DOI: 10.7176/JLPG Vol.86, 2019 Awareness of Copyright Laws among Select Nigerian University Students Allen Nnanwuba Adum Department of Mass Communication, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria Ogochukwu Ekwenchi Department of Mass Communication, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria Emeka Odogwu Department of Mass Communication, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria Kobimdi Umeh Department of Mass Communication, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria Abstract Copyright laws have been in existence in Nigeria since independence and gone through several reviews. Although the policy of permitted use in the copyright law allows the reproduction of publications for educational and private use, studies have shown that students of tertiary institutions infringe on the copyright law. This study investigated the extent to which university students, precisely, Nnamdi Azikiwe University undergraduate students are aware of copyright laws. We used the survey research method to study a sample size of 400 drawn from a student population of over thirty thousand. Questionnaire was administered as instrument for data collection. Results revealed that most of these students were aware of copyright laws and the consequences of violating the law, yet compliance with the law was low among them. It was also revealed that even though photocopying is the number one activity which violates copyright laws on campuses of tertiary institutions, not much is being done to enforce the law. Keywords: Copyright laws, photocopying, publications, promotion of knowledge DOI: 10.7176/JLPG/86-19 Publication date:June 30th 2019 1. Introduction Oftentimes, Nigerian lecturers and course designers use copyrighted materials to teach and also to design courses. As a result of this, the Students also often consult copyrighted materials to meet their educational course work requirements. Consequently, in such an environment, lack of copyright awareness may result in uncontrollable copyright infringement. For instance, one can easily notice that the absence of proper copyright/intellectual property right policy at Nigerian universities among has contributed to the mushrooming of commercial photocopy centres and other copyright infringement activities among Students. This was confirmed in a cursory survey, where it came to light 183

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