Is public domain the same as copyright free?

No, public domain and copyright free are not the same thing. Public domain refers to the idea that the work is available to be used by anyone without legal restrictions. Copyright free is a term used to describe a work that may be used without permission from the copyright owner. In Maine, under the copyright law, the creator of a work owns the copyright for that work. This is true regardless of whether the work is published or unpublished. Copyright generally lasts for the life of the creator plus seventy years after their death. During this time, the copyright holder has exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, and license the work. After the copyright period expires, the work enters the public domain and can be used without permission from the copyright holder. Works in the public domain are free to use, modify, and distribute with no copyright restrictions. However, they are still subject to other laws, such as right of publicity and privacy laws. Additionally, works in the public domain may have perpetual copyright protection in some countries. In contrast, copyright free works are not necessarily in the public domain. Copyright free works may be protected by copyright, even though the owner has given permission to use the work without legal restrictions. The copyright holder may require attribution or charge fees to use the work. Therefore, it is important to be familiar with copyright laws in order to determine whether a work is copyright free or in the public domain.

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