Regarding the preparation and publication of book summaries, the Law on Intellectual and Artistic Works (‘FSEK’) in Turkey is an important legal regulation that protects the rights of authors. FSEK regulates the use of another’s work, such as an explanation or commentary of a work, and protects the rights of the author in this regard.
According to FSEK, the right to exploit a work belongs exclusively to the author. This means that the author’s permission is required for the use of another work, such as an explanation or commentary of a work. Article 6/1-9 of the Code states that an explanation, commentary or abridgement of another’s work is a work of composition. Pursuant to Article 21 of FSEK, the right to benefit from a work by processing it belongs exclusively to the author. Therefore, a derivative work cannot be created without the consent of the author. In other words, an explanation or abridgement of another’s work is also considered a work of composition and the author’s permission is required for the creation of such works.
Therefore, it is important to first obtain the author’s permission for activities such as preparing and publishing an abstract of a book. Such an action without the author’s permission may be legally problematic and may have legal consequences. Especially the preparation of parts that represent the essence of the work, such as book summaries, is a process in which the rights of the author and the copyright of the work must be respected.
Transactions such as book summaries made without the authorisation of the author may result in infringement of the copyright of the author. In this case, the author may seek legal remedies and claim compensation. In addition, the author may apply to the court to stop the publication.
Consequently, in activities such as the preparation and publication of book summaries, it is important to act in accordance with the requirements of FSEK and to obtain permission from the author. This is an important step in preventing legal problems and protecting the rights of the author.
