The Scope of Copyright Protection in Light of the Right of Persons with Disabilities to Access Protected Works

Abstract

The subject addresses the balance between the protection of authors’ rights and ensuring the right of persons with disabilities to access protected works. Although authors enjoy legal rights over their works, such protection is subject to certain exceptions justified by considerations of public interest, including enabling persons with disabilities to access works in accessible formats, such as Braille, audio recordings, and accessible digital books. This exception aims to ensure equality in access to knowledge, culture, and education, while at the same time safeguarding the legitimate interests of authors and preventing undue prejudice to the normal exploitation of the work. Accordingly, the legal framework seeks to strike a balance between authors’ rights and the right of persons with disabilities to access knowledge.