Plain language law

New Zealand law explained for everyone

Copyright Act 1994

Moral rights - Right to object to derogatory treatment of work

98: Right to object to derogatory treatment of work

You could also call this:

"Stopping people from changing your work in a way that hurts your reputation"

Illustration for Copyright Act 1994

You have the right to object if someone treats your work in a way that is prejudicial to your honour or reputation. This means you can stop someone from changing your work in a way that is derogatory. The term treatment of a work means any addition to, deletion from, alteration to, or adaptation of the work. You are protected if you are the author of a literary, dramatic, musical, or artistic work, or the director of a film. This protection applies to works that are copyright works. You have the right not to have your work subjected to a derogatory treatment, as outlined in section 99, and subject to section 100 and 101. Derogatory treatment can include distortion or mutilation of your work. It is prejudicial to your honour or reputation if the treatment is harmful to you. You can object to this type of treatment to protect your work and your reputation.

This text is automatically generated. It might be out of date or be missing some parts. Find out more about how we do this.

View the original legislation for this page at https://legislation.govt.nz/act/public/1986/0120/latest/link.aspx?id=DLM346251.

This page was last updated on — View changes

Topics:
Business > Intellectual propertyRights and equality > Anti-discriminationArts and culture > Heritage protection
Previous

97: Exceptions to right to be identified, or

"When you don't have the right to be named as the creator of a work"

Next

99: Content of right to object to derogatory treatment, or

"Protecting Your Creative Work from Harm"

Part 4Moral rights
Right to object to derogatory treatment of work

98Right to object to derogatory treatment of work

  1. For the purposes of this section and section 99,—

  2. the term treatment of a work means any addition to, deletion from, alteration to, or adaptation of the work, other than—
    1. a translation of a literary or dramatic work; or
      1. an arrangement or transcription of a musical work involving no more than a change of key or register; and
      2. the treatment of a work is derogatory if, whether by distortion or mutilation of the work or otherwise, the treatment is prejudicial to the honour or reputation of the author or director;—
          1. and in the following provisions of this section any reference to a derogatory treatment of a work shall be construed accordingly.

        1. Subject to section 100 and 101,—

        2. the author of a literary, dramatic, musical, or artistic work that is a copyright work; and
          1. the director of a film that is a copyright work—
              1. has the right not to have his or her work subjected to a derogatory treatment.