Are computer programs protected by copyright?

Yes, computer programs are protected by copyright in California. Copyright law grants authors exclusive rights over any work that is "fixed in a tangible medium of expression," including computer programs. This means that an author of a computer program in California owns the exclusive right to reproduce, distribute, modify, and publically display the program. In California, a copyright owner of a computer program has the exclusive right to reproduce the program, meaning they possess the exclusive right to make copies of the program or keep it in a form that is readily accessible. Copyright law also grants an author exclusive rights over the distribution of the program, meaning they possess the exclusive right to distribute the program to the public, either through tangible forms or electronically. Another exclusive right granted to copyright owners in California is the right to modify the program. This includes creating adaptations and derivatives of the program, including new versions of the program that incorporate another work. The copyright law also grants an author the exclusive right to display the program publicly, meaning they possess the exclusive right to show their program to the public or make their program available to the public in some way. Overall, computer programs are protected by copyright in California, granting authors exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, modify, and publicly display the program. These exclusive rights protect the authors from having their work unlawfully used or distributed without their permission.

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