No country has zero copyright; however, some nations, like Eritrea, Somalia, and South Sudan, have extremely weak or unenforced copyright laws, meaning creators have little protection, while others, like Iran and Iraq, aren't Berne Convention signatories, creating complexities. Nearly all countries are part of global treaties like the Berne Convention and TRIPS (via WTO), which mandate baseline copyright, but enforcement and specifics vary widely, with some places like Laos having unique situations.
The Copyright Law of Japan aims to protect the rights of creators while simultaneously ensuring the fair use of cultural works, thereby contributing to the development of culture.
The 18 countries with no restrictions are: UK, Canada, Australia, Japan, France, Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Republic of Korea, Spain, Sweden and Taiwan.
Chinese copyright works are protected in foreign jurisdictions under international copyright treaties to which China is a party, including the: Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works (Berne Convention). Universal Copyright Convention (世界版权公约) (UCC).
Is YouTube legal in China? Even though YouTube is blocked in China, it's not illegal to watch it. There is no precedent of anyone being charged with a crime for watching YouTube or using a VPN. China is well aware of the fact that many internet users are accessing blocked websites using VPNs.
The USA is leading the world in terms of Intellectual Property Rights protection (8.01), followed by Austria, Sweden, Germany, and Singapore.
As it has been since 2019, Switzerland was the freest country in the world, followed by New Zealand (2nd), Denmark (3rd), Luxembourg (4th), Ireland (5th), Finland (6th), Australia, Iceland and Sweden (tied at 7th), and Estonia. Canada was in 11th place and the United States and United Kingdom were tied at 17th.
The first place is Antarctica. A treaty in 1959 ensured that the place is free for all.
North Korea
Access is only available with special authorisation and only used for government purposes. North Korea bans the internet in its entirety. However, posing a potential problem to North Korea's aim of controlling all media outlets including Facebook, Twitter, YouTube etc.
Japanese privacy laws are strict; photographing identifiable individuals without permission can result in legal consequences. So, by all means, take a photograph of that amazing sushi or delicious ramen, but avoid capturing surrounding diners and staff; not everyone will want to be in your shot.
YouTube is designed to ensure that every player in our ecosystem can be successful. This includes both protecting rightsholders and giving creators peace of mind so they can focus on producing original content.
Article 177 (Forcible Sexual Intercourse) Article 178 (Constructive Indecency through Compulsion; Constructive Forcible Sexual Intercourse) Article 179 (Indecency by a Person Having Custody of a Person under 18; Sexual Intercourse by a Person Having Custody of a Person under 18) Article 180 (Attempts)
You get copyright protection automatically - you do not have to apply or pay a fee. There is not a register of copyright works in the UK. You automatically get copyright protection when you create: original literary, dramatic, musical and artistic work, including illustration and photography.
The top 35 countries (out of 142 listed countries) for the rule of law according to WJP in 2024 are:
In 2006, completely rewritten intellectual property laws were included in part IV of a new Civil Code of the Russian Federation. These new laws entered into force on January 1, 2008, replacing all previous intellectual property legislation, including the separate copyright law from 1993.
ZIMBABWE abolished the death penalty for ordinary crimes. PORTUGAL abolished the death penalty for all crimes. DENMARK abolished the death penalty for all crimes. LUXEMBOURG, NICARAGUA, and NORWAY abolished the death penalty for all crimes.
Japan is usually mentioned as a rare case of a country that was never conquered or colonized. But technically, from 1945 to 1951, Japan was under the control of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers after WWII — and Okinawa stayed under U.S. administration until 1972.
"Denmark is seen as a place that provides for its citizens very well and provides a high quality of life for its residents."
UAE ranks first among the world's most economically stable countries, according to the latest report by US News & World Report. Switzerland, Germany, Canada, and Japan follow in the top five, while Saudi Arabia secures a place in the global top ten.
Queen and David Bowie v.
At the top of most famous copyright cases lists is that of rock legends David Bowie and Queen against rapper Vanilla Ice. If you've ever heard the opening seconds of Ice's 1990 hit "Ice Ice Baby" and thought it could be Queen and Bowie's "Under Pressure," you wouldn't be alone.
Filing of a South African national phase patent may be delayed until 34 months at no additional cost (through S&Z and GlobalIPCo). Since South Africa is not an examining country, you should receive a granted South African patent at a fixed cost of only US$475 – the cheapest country in the world to secure a patent.
Under Japanese law, copyright protection continues "until the end of a period of seventy years following the death of the author" or, in cases where the work bears the name of a corporate body, "until the end of a period of seventy years following the making public of the work."