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Law to guard against online infringement

Kenya Copyright Board (KECOBO) executive director Edward Sigei at a past function. The new KECOBO Act is intended to address online copyright infringement. [File, Standard]

The Copyright (Amendment) Act, 2019 which was signed into law by the President on September 18 addresses challenges brought about by technological changes. It is particularly intended to address online copyright infringement which the Copyright Act, 2001 did not address sufficiently. 

The new law introduces a takedown procedure for copyright owners to address infringement over the Internet. It also avails Internet Service Providers (ISPs) certain defences usually referred to as ‘safe harbours’. These defences allow ISPs to avoid liability for copyright infringement provided they comply with certain statutory conditions.

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