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Copyright
Copyright is a legal right that protects original works of authorship from unauthorized use and copying.
Eligibility:
- Originality: The work must be original, meaning that it must be created independently by the author and not copied from another source.
- Fixation: The work must be fixed in a tangible medium of expression, such as writing, painting, photographs, or recordings.
- Author’s Rights: The author must be a human being, not a corporation or other legal entity.
Copyright Rights:
- Reproduction: The copyright holder has the exclusive right to reproduce the work in any form.
- Distribution: The copyright holder has the exclusive right to distribute the work to others.
- Public Performance: The copyright holder has the exclusive right to perform the work publicly.
- Derivative Works: The copyright holder has the exclusive right to create derivative works based on the original work.
Duration:
- Copyright protection lasts for the life of the author plus an additional 70 years.
- For works created by corporations or other legal entities, copyright protection lasts for 50 years from the date of publication.
Infringement:
- Infringement occurs when someone copies or uses a copyrighted work without the permission of the copyright holder.
- Infringement can result in legal penalties, including damages and injunctions.
Fair Use:
- Fair use is a doctrine that allows for limited use of copyrighted material for certain purposes, such as criticism, comment, news reporting, and teaching.
Additional Notes:
- Copyright law applies to a wide range of works, including books, articles, photographs, movies, and software.
- There are some exceptions to copyright protection, such as works of the public domain and works created by government agencies.
- It is important to seek legal advice if you are concerned about copyright infringement.