I am not an attorney, so ignore everything I write. However, being in a business where intellectual property is at the core of what I do, I've learned a lot - and much of it is the opposite of common perception.
First, everything I write here is based on USA law, although many countries have very similar laws (based on an attempt at standardizing these things throughout the world).
People often use "copyright" as a verb ("I'm going to go copyright my Web site"), but in fact the attachment of copyrights is automatic in most cases. "Copyright" is, as the name implies, the right to copy (or reproduce or publish) an original work. Copyright laws affect the written word, as well as music, films, and more.
By creating your Web site based on your own original work (and "original" is important), the law automatically vests you with the copyright in that work, without you doing anything. The same is true for a written story, article, song, or just about anything else you might write, whether intentionally commercial or not (some exceptions apply, so hold on).
Some put "copyright 2004 blah blah blah" on their documents, Web sites, etc., but that does not affect the copyright holders legal rights. It does, however, serve as a reminder to potential infringers, and gives notice as to who the copyright holder is. But I emphasize: regardless of whether the notice is there or not, infringing on the copyright is an actionable offense (in other words, you could be sued).
Registering a copyright involves sending a form to the US Copyright Office (
along with (of course) a fee. Unlike patents, the government does not investigate or otherwise determine the validity of your claim on the copyright. Registration is not required, but: a) it allows you to collect extra goodies should you need to sue an infringer; and b) it makes proving your case against an infringer a lot easier.
The most common exception to the author being the automatic copyright holder is a "work for hire" arrangement. For example, if Rishath is employed by a firm to write software or to develop a company Web site, then the company is usually deemed to be the original copyright holder.
Copyrights can be bought and sold, like anything else, but such agreements must be in writing to be enforceable. A common misconception is that when someone purchases, say, an oil painting, that they are also purchasing ownership of the copyright. Not true. With rare exception (such as work for hire), copyright remains with the original author/artist/whatever unless explicitly transferred to another.
If this wasn't boring enough, visit
for lots more.
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art prints
