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Breaking copyright law deliberately is considered a misdemeanor by most states in the United States. In the past several years, companies that own copyrighted material have been more aggressive than in the past about pursuing individuals who have broken copyright laws. There are several laws pending that may change copyright law.... more »
Copyrights support a capitalist economy by helping the creators of original forms of expression receive the beneficial advantages of their work. The Copyright Office at the Library of Congress is responsible for cataloging all active copyrights in the United States. more »
Governments enact copyright laws to encourage creativity. Generally, government leaders believe the creation of art is a worthy purpose. They encourage their citizens to create by passing copyright laws that let creators control how others can use their works, including how much such users will pay them. more »
Copyrights on musical works can be more complex than on some other works, because there are several parts to musical works, as well as the collaborative nature of music. Contracts can also add complexity to copyrights on music. more »
The right of the federal government to protect original works of authorship comes out of Article I, Section 8, of the Constitution. In order to promote the arts, the U.S. Congress is empowered to protect a creator's exclusive use of original works. In the judgment in the Supreme Court case Feist vs. Rural Telephone, Justice Sandra Day... more »
Whether you are turning a piece of online art into a screen saver or humming along to a favorite...
Prior to 1989, the little © symbol was seen a lot more often than it is now. But things changed in 1989, and the symbol was not needed as often.... more »
Copyright law protects creative works, generally of an artistic nature. By contrast, patent law protects inventions based on scientific knowledge.... more »
The doctrine of fair use provides certain exceptions to the exclusive rights enjoyed by a copyright holder by permitting individuals to use or... more »
If you have ever heard a good song on the radio or have seen a piece of good art and wanted to use it for a publicly viewed project, you might... more »
Those familiar with federal copyright law know that it provides for certain exemptions that protect individuals who wish to use copyrighted... more »
Copyright is a form of intellectual property that gives the author of an original work exclusive right for a certain time period in relation to that work, including its publication, distribution and adaptation, after which time the work is said to enter the public domain. Copyright applies to any expressible form of an idea or information that is substantive and discrete and fixed in a medium. Some jurisdictions also recognize "moral rights" of the creator of a work, such as the right to be credited for the work. Copyright is described under the umbrella term intellectual property along with patents and trademarks.
The concept of copyright originates with the Statute of Anne (1710) in Great Britain. An example of the intent of copyright, as expressed in the United States Constitution, is "To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries."Article I, Section 8, Clause 8 aka Copyright Clause of the United States Constitution
Copyright has been internationally standardized, lasting between fifty to a hundred years from the authors death, or a shorter period for anonymous or corporate authorship. Some jurisdictions have required formalities to establish copyright, but most recognize copyright in any completed work, without formal registration. Generally, copyright is enforced as a civil matter, though some jurisdictions do apply criminal sanctions.
History
Concept of copyright originates with the Statute of Anne (short title Copyright Act 1709 8 Anne c.19; long title "An Act for the Encouragement of Learning, by vesting the Copies of Printed Books in the Authors or purchasers of such Copies, during the Times therein mentioned"), in Britain, enacted in 1709 and entering into force on 10 April 1710. The act established the author of a work as the owner of the right to copy that work and the concept of a fixed term for that c read more at » http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copyright
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