Copyright Laws. Lauren's part.
Current Copyright Laws:
Copyright is a form of protection given to the original producers of written work, or “original works of authorship” including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works. (US Copyright Office, 2006). This law applies to published and unpublished works. The 1976 Copyright Act allows owners of the copyright to reproduce their works and build upon them, to distribute their work by any means and for sale, and to perform and display their work the way that they choose. There are limits to copyright laws, and as we all know, if you pay enough money, most copyright owners will allow certain use of a copyrighted material.
Copyright begins from the moment a work is created in its final form, and immediately is owned by the author of the work. There is such a thing as “works for hire” which is work that you do for and employer, and in that case, the employer, not the employee who created the work, is the owner of the copyright. These are usually things like compilations, movie pictures parts, texts and test taking materials, atlases, etc. Minors cannot hold copyrights, but arrangements can be made so that minors who would like copyrights may work something out, but it is different state to state.
Copyright is also available for unpublished works, but it is harder to prove ownership without an official copyright registration. Published works can by copyrighted if any of these criteria are met:
1. On the date of publication, one or more of the authors is a citizen of the United States or a citizen of a United States treaty-holding nation.
2. On the date of the first publication it was published in the United States or a treaty nation.
3. Is a sound recording that was first made in a treaty nation or the United States.
4. If the work is first published by the United Nations or the Organization of American States.
5. “The work is a foreign work that was in the public domain in the United States prior to 1996 and its copyright was restored under the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (URAA).”
6. If the work is under “Presidential Proclamation”.
(US Copyright Office, 2006).
There are a few things that are not able to be copyrighted, or are not protected by copyright laws in a work. Titles, names, phrases, slogans, symbols, designs, graphics, lettering, and coloring are a few of these things. Ideas, methods, concepts, descriptions, etc are also not copyrightable. Other things that cannot be copyrighted include common knowledge things like calendars, time tables, normal modes of measurement, and other information available to society as a whole.
If you want to copyright your work, there is no real way or reason to do it. Since copyright already exists from the moment you create a work on, there is no need to properly register your work because it is already protected when you create it. However, if you register your copyright, you are more likely to be covered legally if a problem should arise. That can be done with the United States Copyright Office online or at certain state buildings. Copyright is for the author’s lifetime and seventy years after his/her death on any works produced after January 1, 1978. If the work was produced and registered before that time, the copyright is for twenty-eight years and up for renewal within the twenty-eighth year, making it eligible for a total of 95 protected years. Unless, of course, you’re Walt Disney!
Works Cited and Bibliography:
United States Copyright Office
101 Independence Avenue SE
Washington, DC 20559
202.707.3000
http://www.copyright.gov/
November 10, 2006.
Copyright is a form of protection given to the original producers of written work, or “original works of authorship” including literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works. (US Copyright Office, 2006). This law applies to published and unpublished works. The 1976 Copyright Act allows owners of the copyright to reproduce their works and build upon them, to distribute their work by any means and for sale, and to perform and display their work the way that they choose. There are limits to copyright laws, and as we all know, if you pay enough money, most copyright owners will allow certain use of a copyrighted material.
Copyright begins from the moment a work is created in its final form, and immediately is owned by the author of the work. There is such a thing as “works for hire” which is work that you do for and employer, and in that case, the employer, not the employee who created the work, is the owner of the copyright. These are usually things like compilations, movie pictures parts, texts and test taking materials, atlases, etc. Minors cannot hold copyrights, but arrangements can be made so that minors who would like copyrights may work something out, but it is different state to state.
Copyright is also available for unpublished works, but it is harder to prove ownership without an official copyright registration. Published works can by copyrighted if any of these criteria are met:
1. On the date of publication, one or more of the authors is a citizen of the United States or a citizen of a United States treaty-holding nation.
2. On the date of the first publication it was published in the United States or a treaty nation.
3. Is a sound recording that was first made in a treaty nation or the United States.
4. If the work is first published by the United Nations or the Organization of American States.
5. “The work is a foreign work that was in the public domain in the United States prior to 1996 and its copyright was restored under the Uruguay Round Agreements Act (URAA).”
6. If the work is under “Presidential Proclamation”.
(US Copyright Office, 2006).
There are a few things that are not able to be copyrighted, or are not protected by copyright laws in a work. Titles, names, phrases, slogans, symbols, designs, graphics, lettering, and coloring are a few of these things. Ideas, methods, concepts, descriptions, etc are also not copyrightable. Other things that cannot be copyrighted include common knowledge things like calendars, time tables, normal modes of measurement, and other information available to society as a whole.
If you want to copyright your work, there is no real way or reason to do it. Since copyright already exists from the moment you create a work on, there is no need to properly register your work because it is already protected when you create it. However, if you register your copyright, you are more likely to be covered legally if a problem should arise. That can be done with the United States Copyright Office online or at certain state buildings. Copyright is for the author’s lifetime and seventy years after his/her death on any works produced after January 1, 1978. If the work was produced and registered before that time, the copyright is for twenty-eight years and up for renewal within the twenty-eighth year, making it eligible for a total of 95 protected years. Unless, of course, you’re Walt Disney!
Works Cited and Bibliography:
United States Copyright Office
101 Independence Avenue SE
Washington, DC 20559
202.707.3000
http://www.copyright.gov/
November 10, 2006.
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on Tuesday, December 12, 2006 at 6:28 PM.
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