如何利用 NFT 保护知识产权

NFT 的知识产权是一个热门话题，为了阐明这一点，我们收集了一位创始人兼律师以及一位知识产权律师的见解。本文首先介绍了为什么利用智能合约进行保护至关重要，最后介绍了迅速采取行动保护版权的紧迫性。四位专家的见解涵盖了通过法律手段保护数字资产的各个角度。

As the digital realm continues to expand, so does the need to protect intellectual property (IP) rights. With the advent of non-fungible tokens (NFTs), a unique set of challenges arises in enforcing these rights. Here are four expert insights to help navigate this landscape:

随着数字领域的不断扩大，保护知识产权 (IP) 的需求也在不断扩大。随着不可替代代币（NFT）的出现，在执行这些权利时出现了一系列独特的挑战。以下是四个专家的见解，可以帮助您驾驭这一局面：

1. Utilize Smart Contracts for Protection:

1.利用智能合约进行保护：

In the realm of NFTs, where digital ownership is paramount, business owners must prioritize protecting their digital assets. As a founder and attorney, I've witnessed firsthand the importance of establishing clear rights before minting an NFT. Smart contracts play a crucial role in this process, enabling the programming of specific conditions to safeguard ownership and track provenance. For instance, when creating an NFT for a piece of digital art, creators can ensure that resale royalties are embedded in the contract. A notable example is Beeple's sale of his art as NFTs for millions, securing ongoing royalties for future sales. This highlights the necessity of setting clear terms and conditions that uphold the creator's rights. To maintain these rights,続ける vigilance and monitoring of NFT marketplaces is essential to identify any unauthorized uses. This approach not only guards the creator's interests but also fosters trust within the digital-commerce ecosystem.

在 NFT 领域，数字所有权至关重要，企业主必须优先考虑保护其数字资产。作为创始人和律师，我亲眼目睹了在铸造 NFT 之前建立明确权利的重要性。智能合约在此过程中发挥着至关重要的作用，可以对特定条件进行编程，以保护所有权并跟踪来源。例如，当为一件数字艺术品创建 NFT 时，创作者可以确保转售版税嵌入到合同中。一个著名的例子是 Beeple 将他的艺术品作为 NFT 出售，售价数百万美元，从而为未来的销售获得持续的版税。这凸显了制定明确的条款和条件以维护创作者权利的必要性。为了维护这些权利，对 NFT 市场保持警惕和监控对于识别任何未经授权的使用至关重要。这种方法不仅保护了创作者的利益，还培养了数字商务生态系统内的信任。

2. Define Clear Licensing Terms:

2. 定义明确的许可条款：

Enforcing IP rights with NFTs can be a sticky issue. As an IP attorney, I must stress that NFTs exist in a digital space where traditional IP laws may not directly apply in the same way they do with physical goods or services. The key legal question centers around the ownership and licensing rights of the digital content tied to the NFT. While someone may purchase an NFT, that doesn't necessarily mean they own the copyright to the associated digital asset. For example, an artist might create an NFT tied to a piece of digital art. When someone buys that NFT, they essentially own the token, which verifies their ownership of that specific digital copy, but they don't automatically own the underlying intellectual property rights, like the right to reproduce or profit from the artwork. The artist would retain those rights unless explicitly transferred to the buyer through a licensing agreement.

使用 NFT 执行知识产权可能是一个棘手的问题。作为一名知识产权律师，我必须强调，NFT 存在于数字空间中，传统知识产权法可能不会像实体商品或服务那样直接适用。关键的法律问题集中在与 NFT 相关的数字内容的所有权和许可权上。虽然有人可能购买 NFT，但这并不一定意味着他们拥有相关数字资产的版权。例如，艺术家可能会创建与一件数字艺术品相关的 NFT。当有人购买该 NFT 时，他们本质上拥有该代币，该代币验证了他们对该特定数字副本的所有权，但他们并不自动拥有基础知识产权，例如复制或从艺术品中获利的权利。除非通过许可协议明确转让给买方，否则艺术家将保留这些权利。

A well-known example of this issue arose with Larva Labs, the creators of the popular “CryptoPunks” NFTs. Originally, buyers of CryptoPunks owned the digital collectible but did not have the commercial rights to use the artwork in other projects or profit from it. Over time, this led to disputes, as some buyers believed they should have full commercial rights to the characters they owned as NFTs. Larva Labs later adjusted their policy and granted broader usage rights, allowing owners to use their CryptoPunks for certain commercial purposes. This case highlights the importance of clear licensing terms when dealing with NFTs. Creators and platforms must explicitly define what rights are transferred with the sale of an NFT, and buyers need to be aware that purchasing an NFT often grants them ownership of the token but not necessarily the IP rights to the associated content.

这个问题的一个著名例子是 Larva Labs，它是流行的“CryptoPunks”NFT 的创建者。最初，CryptoPunks 的买家拥有该数字收藏品，但没有在其他项目中使用该艺术品或从中获利的商业权利。随着时间的推移，这引发了争议，因为一些买家认为他们应该对他们作为 NFT 拥有的角色拥有完全的商业权利。 Larva Labs 后来调整了他们的政策并授予了更广泛的使用权，允许所有者将他们的 CryptoPunk 用于某些商业目的。该案例凸显了在处理 NFT 时明确许可条款的重要性。创作者和平台必须明确定义随着 NFT 的销售而转让哪些权利，买家需要意识到购买 NFT 通常会授予他们代币的所有权，但不一定是相关内容的知识产权。

3. Understand Limited-Use Rights in NFTs:

3. 了解 NFT 中的有限使用权利：

The enforcement of IP rights in NFTs usually falls on the underlying rights assigned to a digital asset. In the creation of an NFT, the originator will often retain some rights, such as copyright, unless it is transferred specifically. In addition, owners of NFTs must understand that purchasing an NFT does not imply ownership of the IP rights but rather limited-use rights. Infringement of such rights—by reproducing the NFT or using the artwork without permission, for example—is actionable by an IP holder. That may mean sending cease-and-desist letters and filing DMCA takedown notices, or it could mean litigation in egregious cases. Most NFT marketplaces also have their own IP infringement procedures that make enforcement much easier.

NFT 中知识产权的执行通常取决于分配给数字资产的基础权利。在创建 NFT 时，发起者通常会保留一些权利，例如版权，除非专门转让。此外，NFT 的所有者必须明白，购买 NFT 并不意味着拥有知识产权，而是意味着有限的使用权。知识产权持有人可以对此类权利的侵犯（例如复制 NFT 或未经许可使用艺术品）提起诉讼。这可能意味着发送停止函并提交 DMCA 删除通知，或者可能意味着对严重案件进行诉讼。大多数 NFT 市场也有自己的知识产权侵权程序，使执法更加容易。

However, the decentralized nature of NFTs means this is usually difficult to enforce, considering different jurisdictions may be an issue. Overall, clear licensing agreements and due diligence are important on both sides—of creators and buyers—for effective navigation in the IP rights of the NFT space.

然而，NFT 的去中心化性质意味着这通常很难执行，考虑到不同的司法管辖区可能是一个问题。总体而言，明确的许可协议和尽职调查对于创作者和购买者双方来说都很重要，以有效导航 NFT 领域的知识产权。

4. Act Quickly to Protect Copyright:

4. 迅速采取行动保护版权：

A unique aspect of enforcing IP rights with NFTs is ensuring creators retain control over their work. In one instance, an NFT was minted using a client's copyrighted photograph without permission. We pursued legal action to remove the NFT from the marketplace and sought damages under copyright law. The lesson here is that NFT platforms don't override copyright law. While blockchain technology is new, the legal principles around intellectual property remain the same, and creators must act quickly to protect their rights when infringements occur.

使用 NFT 执行知识产权的一个独特方面是确保创作者保留对其作品的控制权。在一个例子中，未经许可，使用客户受版权保护的照片铸造了 NFT。我们采取法律行动，将 NFT 从市场上移除，并根据版权法寻求损害赔偿。这里的教训是，NFT 平台不会凌驾于版权法之上。虽然区块链技术是新技术，但围绕知识产权的法律原则保持不变，创作者必须在侵权发生时迅速采取行动保护自己的权利。