How to Distinguish Pirated Books and Audiovisual Products

 

Trimmed by IPsoon Global Agency
Nov 19, 2007

 

 

First, there is an easily confused idea for everyone, that is: pirated books and audiovisual products are illegal products. In China, illegal publications are those in the three categories below:

 

 

1. Publications of which the content itself is illegal, such as publications that incite subversion of the national government¡¯s authority and propagandize feudal superstitions.

 

 

2. According to the strict requirements of relevant Chinese law for entry into the publishing market, publishing activity by those without industry qualifications is illegal, and consequently the publications created by them are illegal.

 

 

3. Publications that infringe upon the copyrights of others.

 

 

The concept of clearly knowing illegal publication is essential for the library buyer. To protect oneself, one must clearly know the three kinds of illegal publications described above. In addition, let us explore how to distinguish pirated books and audiovisual products.

 

 

There are basically three types of illegal audiovisual product:

 

1. The publication, copying and merchandising of state prohibited audiovisual products
According to relevant legal regulations, all contents containing ¡°threats to the unification of the nation, sole authority and sovereign land,¡± ¡°incitement of disharmony between ethnicities, damaging the solidarity of ethnicities,¡± ¡°leaking of state secrets,¡± ¡°propagation of lewdness, superstition or violence,¡± ¡°libel, insults of others,¡± etc., are all prohibited nationwide from publication, copying or merchandising, and all are illegal audiovisual products. These illegal audiovisual products are easy to distinguish, and currently are not on the market.

 

 

2. Audiovisual products illegally produced and published by official publication and reproduction units.
These illegal audiovisual products are not distinguishable by most people. For example, audiovisual products published by an audiovisual publishing unit which has transferred, leased or sold its unit name or publication number to another unit or individual; audiovisual products published without an audiovisual publishing permit; audiovisual products that do not match up with book materials published by a book publisher; audiovisual publications that exceed the scope of publication, etc. Moreover, there are official audiovisual reproduction units adding recorded material; audiovisual products modified at the request of the unit hired to perform the sales function; audiovisual products manufactured from a foreign-provided master or mold, but not entirely exported, with some remaining in the country and sold, broadcast, re-recorded or given away; audiovisual product pirated and sold en masse without a ¡°Letter of Delegation for the Reproduction of Audio and Visual Recorded Products¡± with the audiovisual publishing unit, etc. In sum, the kinds of illegal audiovisual products are many and difficult to distinguish. For example, audiovisual products counterfeited by audiovisual publishing units; foreign audiovisual product smuggled into the country; audiovisual products produced with stolen names and publishing numbers of audiovisual publishing units which have received government permission, etc.

 

 

3. Many other foreign audiovisual products smuggled into the country and published as pirates. Method for distinguishing pirated CDs:

a. Etched CDs; the face of the CD is bluish-green, and the center of the disc lacks the infi typeface origination identification number (SID number).

 

b. Smuggled CDs

------Holes punched in the package or face of the CD.

------CD in original export packaging (overseas and Hong Kong/Macao, Taiwan), lacking the ¡°Audiovisual product anti-counterfeiting mark¡± and the ¡°China Books Import and Export Company anti-counterfeiting mark.¡±

 

c. Missing the audiovisual anti-counterfeiting mark.

d. Packaging or CD face lacks the name of an audiovisual publishing unit.

e. Lacks the China Standard Audiovisual Product Number. China Standard Audiovisual Product Number format: ISRC/national number/publisher number/recording production year/year of recordation/recording type or classification number. For example: ISRC CN-F44-03-317-00/AJ6

f. Center of disc lacks an SID number (ifpi) or the SID number is unclear.

g. Packaging lacks the strip number. Strip number format: ISBN7/publisher  number/publication serial number/checksum number (10 digits). For example: ISBN7-88511-044-3

 

 

Audiovisual numbers of the publishing unit and audiovisual product printed on packaging and disc face are inconsistent.

 

 

IPsoon Global Agency comments:

Copyright infringement often happens in China. Many customers can¡¯t distinguish pirated goods and quality goods. The method should be told to simple customers.