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Glite Dictionary
copyright laundering

copyright laundering

9.9
A way of hiding illegal copies and selling them as original
  • noun
  • Jargon
translation icon : lavado de derechos de autor
  • The publishing firm engaged in copyright laundering to sell unlicensed translations of bestsellers.

Examples

  • Emerging technologies have made copyright laundering easier but also easier to detect.

  • The company was accused of copyright laundering to hide its illegal activities.

  • Authorities are cracking down on copyright laundering in digital media platforms.

  • Many artists are concerned about copyright laundering in the digital age.

  • The publishing firm engaged in copyright laundering to sell unlicensed translations of bestsellers.

  • Authorities are cracking down on copyright laundering in digital media platforms.

  • Many artists are concerned about copyright laundering in the digital age.

Antonyms

original
∞ 2.8

Not a copy and existing as the first form

Surface Forms

copyright laundering singular
copyright launderings plural

Morphology

copyright + laundering

The noun combines 'copyright' (legal rights over a work) with 'laundering' (the established idea of concealing illegal origins, as in 'money laundering'), so the meaning is a metaphorical extension: concealing pirated or infringing material. This mapping is partly predictable for learners who recognize the 'laundering' metaphor, but it requires domain transfer and is not a literal composition, so it is only partially transparent to an average B1 learner.

Etymology

Copyright laundering uses the image of copyright and laundering, like washing dirty money or clothes, to show how someone hides stolen work. So, it means 'to make stolen or illegal content look legal'.