This is a pretty good idea for the UK, but when it comes to it, is it really nessecary? Will people use it?

A very good idea in theory. I think getting people/artists to know about it would be the hard part. Getting them to believe in it may be harder, not to mention, it would essentially challenge the U.S. Copyright system. It seems a tough hill to climb, but worldwide copyright will be a thing of the future, especially electronically. You can also pay someone to get things copyrighted all over the world for you.

I like the idea of a simple upload service that automatically provides you with storage and certification for copyright protection.

Copyright exists automatically in an original work the moment an author produces it. However, proof of originality and the date it was created is the issue. Copyright registration through the official bodies is one way to protect your copyright but one does not have to register a copyright with the official bodies to claim a copyright infringement!

As long as you have tamper proof evidence that you created the work prior to another, is sufficient evidence in court to prove copyright infringement. A simple sealed envelope containing the work sent as a registered item to your attorney for example is sufficient.

One does not get any additional protection just because it was registered in the US copyright registry, it is just a measure of official proof and convenience.

So if this idea creates a repository and certification for submissions then it would provide the necessary protections. However, the storage time would have to be increased to the maximum time for copyright validity to be really effective and the storage capacity would have to be huge if it were successful in order to handle a world wide volume requirement.

It wouldn't necessarily challenge the US Copyright System, such as I understand it. As was said, copyrights are already protected upon publication; the difficulty is proving that publication. Having a central repository showing the timestamp, etc., would be a valuable resource. I'd like the service to be 5 years renewable, if people wish to pay to continue the hosting of their items.

As for getting people to know about something, please don't think of that as a detriment to the project. This is the internet. If something's got wings, we can find a way to make it fly.

By way of an update to the original pitch:

We have been running this concept as a business for over 2 years now and the response has been great with hundreds of copyright owners depositing material with us. What we would like to do is automate the process and encourage copyright owners worldwide to participate in the scheme.

Although there would be a charge made to copyright owners, the greater good is that the web would have a central depository for all works, no matter where the author was located. In addition, the owner of the material would have the ability to make money themselves from the system by licensing out material such as songs, photographs etc.

What we don't have is the requisite skills to make this function as a web site. we need programmers and engineers in order to be able to do this.

Any comments please - thank you

I don't know that I am doing this correctly, but I think this idea is a great one and very dooable. I'm curious to know whether more has become of this idea. Thanks