Does Re-recording Competitor's Online Course Content Constitute Copyright Infringement?

WISECODE Take

The Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court ruled on September 28, 2026, that Company B's act of slightly modifying Company A's course text and re-recording it for sale constituted infringement, resulting in a 60,000 RMB damages award. This case clarifies a common misconception: changing the presentation format through rewriting or AI voiceovers does not exempt one from copyright infringement liability. The key lies in the substantial similarity of the course structure and expression, along with the unauthorized use of the original product name. In the digital content industry, copyright infringement is no longer limited to literal copying but extends to the logical framework of the course. For businesses, this means legal recourse is available against competitors who copy course structures. Zhidian's Trademark Monitoring service helps enterprises identify confusingly similar brand names in the market. This issue primarily affects competitors who copy structures; original creators remain unaffected. Businesses should take two actions. First, preserve all drafts and timestamps before launching content to secure evidence. Second, when referencing peers, focus on conceptual learning and draft original expressions instead of copying chapter structures.