Copyright What Can You Protect

Copyright What Can You Protect?

Summary: The legal protection known has copyright has come front and center over the past few years with major legal rulings regarding peer-to-peer networks on the Internet. Copyright protection, however, can be a confusing area of the law. This article details what can and cannot be protected by copyright.

copyright protection

Article Body: The legal protection known has copyright has come front and center over the past few years with major legal rulings regarding peer-to-peer networks on the Internet. Copyright protection, however, can be a confusing area of the law. This article details what can and cannot be protected by copyright.

Copyright Protection? - Yes

Copyright protects "original works of authorship" in a tangible, fixed form of expression. The material does need to be directly perceptible as long as it can be expressed with the aid of technology. A good example of this is a movie, which requires a projection device of some sort.

Materials that can be copyrighted include:

. Literary works;

. Musical works, including any accompanying words

. Dramatic works, including any accompanying music

. Pantomimes and choreographic works

. Pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works

. Motion pictures and other audiovisual works

. Sound recordings

. Architectural works

Each of these categories is traditionally given a very broad reading. For instance, literary works include computer programs and plans for building a home are considered "pictorial, graphic, and sculptural works." While copyright cuts a broad path, it doesnt cover everything.

Protected by Copyright? No

If a work is not tangible, copyright protection will not apply. This can lead to confusion, so here are a few categories not eligible for protection from copyright:

. Works that are not fixed. For example, the statements made by experts at a round table discussion or a comedians stage act.

. Titles, names, short phrases, and slogans. These materials may be eligible for patent protection.

. Ideas, procedures and methods.

Copyright protection is a valuable intellectual property tool. If it all possible, copyright the material you produce to prevent others from misusing it.