Legal and ethical considerations, codes practice and regulations

The 1988 copyright, designs and patents act is a law that allows the creators of any literary, dramatic, musical
and artistic works to hold the right to control the way in which their property is used. The copyright act allows
the users to monitor and control any broadcast or public performance of the copyright, and any copying,
adapting, issuing, renting or lending of any copies to the public. The 1988 copyright act will also give the
creator credit for the work and the right to be titled as the author.

A copyright will be made when a person or group of people produce a piece of work. Copyright applies to this
piece of work if it is unique, original and shows an element of effort and skill. Copyright will apply to creations
such as logos, however copyright wont apply to words or short phrases as these are not considered to be
unique or original enough and are not thought to require skill or effort in their creation. Copyright does not
apply to the ideas behind a product or its themes. The themes or ideas behind a film would not be protected,
however the written content and specific filming and writing a film would be. This means a person can explore
the same ideas and themes in their own film, however they cannot directly take or copy specific parts from
another film.

In copyright, usually the author or authors of a work will own exclusive rights to the work, however this is not
the case if the work has been produced for an employer. In this instance, the employer will own the copyright
of the product. Commissioned work, or work from a self-employed person, the rights will normally belong to
the author of the work unless the self-employed person has entered a contract that gives the rights of the
product to someone else. Any copyright infringement can only be legally pursued by the holder of the
copyright or an exclusive licensee of the product.

The copyright designs and patents act cover the following works, any, literary, musical, dramatic, artistic,
typographical arrangement, film or sound recording. For any literary, dramatic, musical or artistic creation the
patent will expire seventy years from the end of the calendar year that the last remaining author of the work
dies or the work is placed in public domain. For any sound recordings or broadcasts the patent will expire
seventy years from the end of the calendar year from when the last remaining author dies or the work Is
placed in public domain. For any films, the patent expires seventy years from the end of the calendar year that
the last principal director, author or composer dies or the work is placed in the public domain. Finally, for any
typographical arrangement such as magazines, the patent will expire twenty five years from the end of the
calendar year that the work was first published.

Ethical considerations

A companys confidential information is information that the company does not have to release to the public.
The confidentiality of information act controls the distribution and release of this information. The confidential
information within a company should be kept safe and isolated. A person within the company of an
appropriate position will decide when this information should be disclosed to anyone, these people could be a
companys clients, employees, contractual partners etc.

As a company, gap travel must follow a set of privacy laws for the safety and protection of its employees. The
data protection act ensures that information is used in a fair and legal way, that it is used for only specific
reasons and that the data is only accessed when it is absolutely needed. The act also ensures that the
information is only retained within the company for as long as it is necessary, that the information Is handled
in a manner that follows peoples data protection rights, it ensures that information is kept safe and secure,
and that this information is not transferred outside of the European Economic area unless the information is
protected to an acceptable degree.

In the UK, there are a set of decency laws that gap travel will have to adhere to. In short, gap travel should
avoid having any connection with the breaking of these laws so not to damage the company name.
 Libel is a false published statement that is intended to damage a person or companys reputation. Gap travel
should be aware of this act and this law. If libel has been inflicted onto gap travels name or an employee. The
person or entity responsible can have legal action taken against them. If the claim is successful the company
can be rewarded a sum in damages and an injunction can be put in place to prevent any future publication of
the false allegations.

Representation of, Race gender religion and sexuality

Gap travel should be aware of how the company is seen to interact with people of different Races, religions,
sexuality and their gender. For example, in advertising the company should aim to be as inclusive as possible
there should be nothing in the advertisements, or the product itself that suggests suitability for only one
specific group. For gap travel to reach as many people as possible, the company should do its utmost to make
sure that every demographic is being catered to equally. This will boost the reputation and increase the
number of potential customers, consequently increasing the overall revenue for the company.

Codes of practiced regulations

OFCOM

Ofcom is a company responsible for regulating the TV, radio, on demand video sectors, fixed line
telecoms, mobiles and postal services. The regulations of OFCOM that gap travel will have to follow
are compulsory and failure to follow these regulations could damage gap travels reputation.
OFFCOMs regulations cover a wide array of topics many of them morally based. OFFCOM will
induce penalties to any company that doesnt follow these guidelines such as a fine. To be a
successful company gap travel should be aware of these regulations and do their best to adhere to
them.
Advertising Standards Authority (ASA)

The ASA is a company that monitors advertisements and respond to customer complaints about
adverts that are misleading, harmful, offensive or inappropriate. The ASA will intervene to try and
ban adds that fit the preceding list of criteria.

British Interactive Media Association (BIMA)

BIMA is a company that connects digital businesses. BIMA can help a small unknown company such
as gap travel to grow and flourish, if gap travel were to become a member of they would become a
member of a community of businesses meaning a possibility for an increase in business partners,
business connections and potential employees. BIMA also offer an awards program as a way of
giving a business extra accolades to help them grow.