What is the Copyright Act of 1976?

The Copyright Act of 1976 is a United States federal law that governs the nature and scope of copyright protection. In the Act, Congress established both the exclusive rights of a copyright owner and the limitations on those rights. The Act also outlines the procedures for obtaining and enforcing copyright, governs the copyright registration process, and sets forth the remedies for copyright infringement. The Copyright Act of 1976 created a framework for the distribution of exclusive rights to authors, composers, dramatists, and other creators of original works. This includes the right to reproduce the work; to distribute copies of the work; to make adaptations, or derivative works, based on the work; to perform or display the work publicly; and, in some cases, the right to collect performance royalties. In addition, the act defines the limitations of these exclusive rights, such as the doctrine of “fair use” which permits limited use of a copyrighted work without permission from the copyright owner. The Act also provides an efficient way for authors and other owners to protect their work. Under the Act, copyright owners can register a work with the U.S. Copyright Office in order to obtain a legal copyright. Copyright registration establishes proof of a valid copyright which can be used to protect the owner’s rights in a court of law. The Copyright Act of 1976 is a comprehensive piece of legislation which sets forth the rules governing copyright protection in Oklahoma and throughout the United States. It serves to protect the interests of authors by granting them exclusive rights to their works and providing a reliable means of enforcement.

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What is the Copyright Act of 1976?

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