Inp.polri.go.id - Jakarta.  The Directorate General of Intellectual Property (DJKI) of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights recommends that authors of alternative universe (AU) novels register their copyrights to prevent plagiarism.

Ignatius Mangantar Tua, the Director of Copyright and Industrial Design at DJKI Kemenkumham, noted that many AU authors upload their works on social media, making them easily accessible to readers but also susceptible to plagiarism.

"Documenting a creative work as proof of ownership is essential in case of copyright infringement," he said in an official written statement  on Friday (19/7/2024).

He said that while copyright registration is not mandatory, as copyright protection is declarative and takes effect once the work is known to others, it simplifies documentation and business processes, such as publishing or licensing the work, according to antaranews.com..

According to Ignatius, AU novels are increasingly popular among readers both domestically and internationally. These novels allow writers to create worlds and characters different from reality, often altering historical, cultural, or other realities.

With the rising popularity of AU novels, he highlighted several challenges for authors and publishers in commercializing these works. He also reminded publishers to handle AU works with care, ensuring that no party is harmed, even if the characters are fictional.

"As long as the AU characters do not use the real names of figures, the work can be considered fiction stemming from the author's imagination," Ignatius explained.

If visual references of real figures are used, illustrations can be protected as new works, but caution is needed to avoid any harm.

According to Law No. 28 of 2014 on Copyright, authors and publishers can use real names in AU novels if they obtain permission from the name owner.

 "Royalties can be arranged based on mutual agreements," Ignatius added.

(mg/inp/pr/nm)