Copyright Protection, Who and What is Protected?
Know the difference between copyright, trademark, and patents? Neither did I. But I do know that no one wants all their hard word copied or used by other people.
Did you know that copyright protection is available for all unpublished works, regardless of the nationality or domicile of the author? Even minors may claim copyright, but state laws regulate the business dealings.
The U.S. Copyright Office states that "Copyright is a form of protection provided by the laws of the United States (title 17, U. S. Code) to the authors of ‘original works of authorship’, including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works." You can find out what works are protected and what is not at this site U.S. Copyright Basics.
I was surprised to learn that technically, copyright is secured automatically upon "Creation". A law went into effect January 1, 1978, that made publication or registration unnecessary. But, there are definite advantages to getting a copyright.
According to FindLaw, although registration is not a condition of copyright protection, there are advantages. A major advantage of registering a copyright is this: "Before an infringement suit may be filed in court, registration is necessary for works of U.S. origin."
On the web, just about anyone can take your material and claim to be the owner and without a federal copyright, it can be hard to prove otherwise. Copyscape offers a free service that helps you protect the information on your site with a warning banner. They also provide a web monitoring service for about $4.95/month.
If you want to take the next step and get a federal copyright, you can get forms from the U.S. Copyright Office, or get expert help with C-site services.
« More Parents Picking Domain Names for Kids | Home | Government Grant Programs for Small Business in 2008 »
Leave a Comment