Have you heard someone say that they took out a "poor man's copyright?" Have you wondered exactly what they meant and whether or not it is a good idea?
The big question in art: homage or plagiarism?
In a lot of cases, plagiarism is clear and may violate a copyright. If someone steals a text entirely and tries to pass it off as their own, that's plagiarism. They stole the content. When you compare the two, they look identical.
Publication rights: Tips for writers
Once you've written your great American novel, you may be understandably excited to publish it.
What damages can I recover in a copyright lawsuit?
The Copyright Act allows the owners of copyright-protected material to pursue financial damages in the event that another party pilfers and profits from their intellectual property. The damages that the copyright holder can pursue in these cases is the actual amount of damages caused by the infringement in addition to the profits earned by the violator of the copyright.
Copyright laws and posting content on the Internet
Let's imagine for a moment that you write the next "Great American Novel," and -- since no publisher has recognized the greatness of your work -- you decide to post your entire novel on the Internet. A year later, you're pleased to find that you have a number of fans who are enjoying your work. However, you're not pleased to find that certain individuals have made a copy of your manuscript, and they're now selling hard copies of your work without your permission.
How do you transfer a copyright?
If you own a copyright, one thing you may wish to do at some point is transfer it to another entity. Copyrights are personal property, and you have the right to transfer it to others if you wish. Your exclusive rights bind the idea or product to you, but you can transfer the copyright through a contract.
Can you file for a copyright? In 3 cases, you can't
A copyright is an important legal document to obtain when you have a product you want to protect. Copyrights are used for many works including computer programs, style guides, recipes, fabric designs, sculpture, literature and other items.
A copyright's effectiveness is designed for the long term
Copyrights are designed to help people protect their intellectual property. They protect original works such as music or literature. They're designed to stay with you for life and beyond, helping you protect the work you put so much effort into.
Are copyrights automatic?
Copyrights aren't always easy to understand, and there is at least one major myth that has to be dispelled immediately involving the ease with which some believe they can obtain a copyright.
Protecting your artwork: Copyright laws and your rights
As an artist, you know it's going to be hard to protect your work. It doesn't take more than a few minutes for someone to grab a screenshot of your art, enhance it and sell it on their own T-shirts or products.
