What is the difference between copyright and trade secret protection?

Copyright and trade secret protection are two forms of intellectual property law in California. Copyright protects original works of authorship, such as books, movies, music, and software. It gives the creator of a work the exclusive right to reproduce, distribute, or publicly perform the work for a limited period of time. Trade secret protection, on the other hand, is designed to protect confidential information of a business, such as formulas, methods, processes, or customer lists. It gives a business the exclusive right to keep its proprietary information out of the public domain. The key difference between copyright and trade secret protection is that copyright is limited in scope and duration, while trade secret protection is indefinite. Copyright protection lasts for a limited amount of time, usually the life of the author plus seventy years, while trade secret protection can last indefinitely, as long as the information is kept confidential. Additionally, copyright protection is automatic and does not require any filing or registration, while trade secret protection must be diligently maintained to remain in effect, including taking steps to ensure the information is kept confidential.

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What is the difference between copyright and trade secret protection?

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