What Is Copyright?

Copyright is federal protection for original works of authorship fixed in any tangible medium of expression (17 U.S.C. § 102(a)). Protection attaches on fixation; registration is not required for copyright to exist, though it is generally required before suing for infringement of a U.S. work and it affects the remedies available.

The copyright owner holds the exclusive rights to reproduce the work, prepare derivative works, distribute copies, and publicly perform and display the work, subject to limitations including fair use (17 U.S.C. § 106). Works made for hire belong to the employer rather than the individual creator (17 U.S.C. § 101). Who owns a copyright, and what happens when ownership is disputed, is explained in the site's ownership guide.

Pinpoint: 17 U.S.C. §§ 102, 106. Related term: Copyright.

Sources.

• 17 U.S.C. § 102: subject matter of copyright in general. law.cornell.edu
• 17 U.S.C. § 106: exclusive rights in copyrighted works. law.cornell.edu
• 17 U.S.C. § 101: definitions, including work made for hire. law.cornell.edu

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