We have begun the development of "CONTRUST," a browser-only electronic contract application that prevents problems after the sale or purchase of copyrighted works. The closed beta test is scheduled for release in early summer. Prior to that, closed beta test applications for the Japan-only application will open on 21 March 2023.
(*All images are under development.)
CONTRUST Perspectives
This service focuses primarily on handling copyrights. As developers, we, too, have sold and bought pictures we have created. Based on this experience, we have focused on copyright infringement, which tends to occur "inadvertently" in our daily lives. We are developing a tool to support safe transactions in the buying and selling of works. Our goal is to create a device with a high level of public interest that will be used to deepen understanding of the handling of copyright, which tends to be grey and ambiguous, alleviate a sense of dislike of copyright, and assist in the smooth purchase and sale of works.
Service Overview
Even if you are unfamiliar with copyright law, you can automatically create an "Electronic Agreement" and "Work Certificate" between the author and owner by simply answering a few questions. The "Electronic Agreement" contains not only the terms and conditions of the sale and purchase but also the permissions to copyright, which can be easily created by anyone while gaining a better understanding of copyright.
Purpose of CONTRUST
We are developing this system to promote mutual understanding and prevent minor problems that may occur in the buying, selling and owning of artworks by limiting them to familiar issues such as non-payment, price changes, cancellation problems, how to handle pieces after purchase, and the scope of image use on social networking services after a purchase agreement has been concluded.
Available Users
This service is intended for the execution of electronic contracts between two parties, the copyright holder themselves and the work's purchaser. The beta version of this service supports sales contracts between the copyright holder themselves and a person who is willing to purchase the piece. The operation is mainly performed by the copyright holder and issued to the purchaser (who becomes the owner).
In the future, the use of sales consignors such as galleries is also under consideration for implementation. In addition, an archives function that allows third parties to search for copyright information on works licensed for publication is also planned for implementation. (*If the author does not give permission, intimate parts such as personal information cannot be viewed.) This will be useful for expressing the scope of the author's license for the copyright and referencing the work's authenticity when selling it.
About the Service Name
The name of our service is a coined word combining "Contract" and "Trust". In Japan, an ambiguous situation is described as "grey." Still, we named the service "CONTRUST" in the hope of a sound art transaction that clarifies the rights relationship between the author and the owner.
January 1st, 2023. ©︎NYX Co., Ltd.