Nation Media Group (NMG) has put on notice individuals distributing their newspapers' digital publications on social media without authorisation.
In a statement on Wednesday, NMG noted that any form of reproduction or reselling of their e-paper without prior authorisation was an infringement of copyright laws and thus a criminal offence. "It has come to the attention of Nation Media Group Limited (NMG) that there are persons who have made and continue to make unauthorised copies of its various newspaper publications (E-Paper) and distribute them in digital format for sale on, among others, social media platforms," part of the notice read. "Such action, whether limited to production, copying, distribution, and/or retention of such copies in custody, constitutes piracy and is an infringement of NMG's copyright in its publications and is a criminal offence contrary to Section 38 of the Copyright Act." A copy of the Business Daily Newspaper Photo Business Today Going forward, the publication urged the public involved in such practices to cease or face consequences Anyone already in possession of such material has been urged to destroy them to avoid consequences once caught.
These, the notice outlines, would include legal prosecution.
The law stipulates that anyone convicted of such unauthorised distribution and related offences faces a fine not exceeding Ksh400,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years or both.
