What is a copyright notice and when should I use it?

A copyright notice is a statement that appears at the bottom of a work, such as a book, website, video, or other creative work, that informs viewers that the work is protected by copyright law. A copyright notice will typically include the copyright symbol (©), or the words “Copyright”, the name of the copyright holder, and the year of publication. A copyright holder, typically the creator of a work, has the exclusive right to reproduce, distribute, and create derivative works from their property. If a copyright notice is included, it notifies the public that the creator holds the copyright and that they have exclusive rights to their work. By including a copyright notice, copyright holders also have a greater chance of recovering damages if someone has infringed on their copyright. In Washington, copyright holders can collect interest, attorneys’ fees, and monetary damages if they can prove that they had a valid copyright notice on their work before the infringement occurred. The best practice is to include a copyright notice on all original works that are distributed or published. This includes any websites, videos, books, and other creative works. While it isn’t necessary to register the copyright with the US Copyright Office, it is a good idea for creators to do so in order to protect their work and ensure that their rights are protected.

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What is a copyright notice and when should I use it?

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