Where do you place the copyright symbol?

Answer 1

There is no requirement to register a copyright or to display a copyright notice for a work to be protected. Copyright protection is automatic, as soon as a work of sufficient originality is "fixed in a tangible medium, perceptible to human eye, machine reader or other device".

However if you want or need the additional protection a formally registered copyright can provide, contact the copyright office in your country for the proper procedure and applicable fees.

Answer 2

Copyright notices became totally optional for all works (except sound recordings) created after 1988 once the U.S. became a member of the Berne Union. However, for those who choose to put a copyright notice on a work, there is a recommended method.

In the United States, a copyright notice consists of three elements:

1. the letter c in a circle © symbol (in some cases (c) is substituted), the word "Copyright" or abbreviation "Copr."; for a sound recording it's the letter P in a circle

2. the first year of publication; and

3. the owner of the copyright, either by name, abbreviation, or other designation.

Answer 3

In most cases, at the bottom of the first page/image, followed by the year and the name of the copyright holder. Published books have a separate page for copyright information, and photographers may choose to put such information in the metadata of a digital file.

Answer 4

It is okay to use copyrighted material

• if you own the copyright,
• if you have a license from the owner of the copyright for the intended use, or
• your use qualifies under one or more exemptions of the copyright law.

Answer 5

You can optionally use the symbol any time you are the author of the work. You MUST use the copyright symbol if you are making a copy of any work that has the copyright symbol upon it.

Answer 6

The copyright symbol can be placed anywhere on a work.

Answer 7

It was discussed in 1906, and codified in the US Copyright Act 1909.

Answer 8

If you rely on your creative works to make a living, you need copyright all the time.

Answer 9

It was discussed during the 1906 testimony of the Copyright Conference in New York, and codified in the Copyright Act 1909. It was adopted internationally in 1952.