An Overview of Copyrights
Copyrights exist to protect the intellectual property of the content creator.
If something is online, it is automatically copyrighted. That is true even if the website does not say it is copyrighted or it does not display the copyright [ © ] symbol.
Copyright is the de facto situation.
So does copyright-free content exist online? YES! Here are four cases:
Case 1. The Website says it IS in the Public Domain
It says something like this:
Our content is in the Public Domain. You may copy and share it freely.
Case 2. The Website permits “Some” usage
It says something like this:
Some rights reserved.
You click the link and it sends you to a page that tells you what they permit you to do.
Case 3. It is by the U.S. Government
In the United States, most works produced by an officer or employee of the U.S. government as part of that person’s official duties are not entitled to copyright protection.
Case 4. The Copyright has expired
In most cases, a copyright expires at the end of the life of the author + 70 years.
When a copyright has expired, the work is said to falls into the “sinkhole” of the public domain.
However, there are many cases where you cannot assume a work has fallen into the public domain.
NOTES
This page is provided for reference. It is not legal advice.
RESOURCES
The Digital Millennium Copyright Act
Circular 38A of the United States Copyright Office
Originally published on January 8, 2017
Last updated on September 14, 2023
TOPICS: Copyrights,