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Under the laws of more than 160 countries, copyright is granted automatically to the author upon the event of recording a creative work of expression in a tangible form, be it paint on canvas, pixels in a digital camera, or pencil on paper.
Under USA law, since 1989 there have been no "formalities" required to obtain copyright -- prior to that the publication may have been required to be registered or marked with a copyright notice (Copyright, date, name of author). Copyright notice is optional today, but may be useful as evidence that an infringement was "willful", which is an element of a criminal copyright indictment.
Copyright ownership and priority may be easier to prove if it is registered with the Copyright Office in a person's government. The drawback is that you must pay a fee and submit a copy to have any work registered. Forms can be obtained online through the Library of Congress. A registration may also make it simpler for potential licensees to locate the proper owners of copyrights.
As a bonus, the US Copyright Office registration allows the registered copyright owner to sue for "statutory damages" in lieu of having to prove "actual" damages.
What else can I help you with?
Why is copyright important for the user?
Copyright encourages creators to create.
Can a minor get a copyright?
A minor owns the copyright on any works they create.
Who can use copyright?
Anyone can create a work of sufficient creativity and have it automatically protected by copyright.
Can you copyright a piece of food?
No. You may, however, be able to copyright the recipe to create a dish provided it meets the necessary criteria for copyright protection.
How can I copyright a document?
To copyright a document, you can simply create the work and it is automatically protected under copyright law. However, for added protection, you can register your copyright with the U.S. Copyright Office by submitting an application and a copy of your work.
How can I copyright my educational materials?
To copyright your educational materials, you can simply create them and they are automatically protected under copyright law. You can also register your materials with the U.S. Copyright Office for added protection and legal benefits.
How can I copyright an image?
To copyright an image, you can simply create it and it is automatically protected under copyright law. However, to have legal proof of ownership, you can register the image with the U.S. Copyright Office by submitting an application and a copy of the image.
Can you claim copyright on reproduced Soviet Military produced posters?
No you cannot "claim" copyright unless you are the original artist/author. Just because you "found" a copy of something does not mean you own the copyright for it. The only way to obtain copyright is to create it yourself, hire someone to create it for you, inherit it, or purchase the rights from the legal owner.
How many times a day do people copyright?
Dozens, if not hundreds. Every time you create something new, it is automatically protected by copyright. Doodle a picture of a cat, you have copyright. Take a picture with your phone, you have copyright. Record yourself making up a song, you have copyright.
How does the copyright law affect creating webpages?
You can only use content for which you are the copyright owner, is in the public domain, or you have permission from the copyright holder or an exemption in the law. But your resulting web page is automatically protected by copyright as soon as you create it.
How does copyright affect children?
There is no minimum age on copyright; works that children create are automatically protected as soon as they are fixed in a tangible medium.
How do you create a copyright symbol in HTML for a Web page?
© or ©
