Should violating copyrights or patents—such as by copying a movie or drug—be treated as a civil wrong for which restitution must be made rather than a criminal offense punishable by a fine or jail time? Select your answer A No, it is illegal to copy medications, music, or foods that have their own trademarks and protected recipes because the purchaser is not receiving the intended goods. However, you cannot imprison entire corporations. B No, copying a patented design and producing or distributing copycat goods based on it without permission is theft, a felony that deceives consumers and denies the patent owners of revenue. C Yes, most violations are not harmful and no one is harmed, so it would be disproportionate to give the offenders a criminal record; at most, it is a civil violation that justifies paying compensation, but it should probably only result in a warning. D Although it is unpleasant to neglect to pay fees to a copyright or patent owners whose work has been illegally included into a product, it is not as serious as committing a crime.
