Authors of literary works, dramatic works, musical works, artistic works and films have moral rights in their material regardless of who owns the copyright in the material. Moral rights recognise that works and films can be an extension of the author’s personality and that the relationship between the author and their works and films should be respected.

An author’s moral rights are:

• the right to be attributed (or credited) as the author of their works and films
• the right not to have their authorship of their works and films falsely attributed
• the right of integrity of authorship of their works and films (ie the right not to have their works and films subject to derogatory treatment)

Only individuals have moral rights and these cannot be assigned. However, an author can consent to their material being used in a particular way that would otherwise be an infringement of the author’s moral rights.