What is the difference between a copyright and a license?

The difference between a copyright and a license is an important one to understand when it comes to intellectual property law in New York. A copyright is a type of intellectual property that grants exclusive rights to the creator of an original work – including books, music, and art – to use and distribute the work. A copyright grants the creator the right to control how the work is used by others. In contrast, a license is a type of agreement between the creator and a licensee (the person or organization that will use the work). Through a license agreement, the creator grants the licensee permission to use their work – for example, the creator of a song may give a record company permission to use the song for their own commercial purposes. The terms of the agreement, including the duration of the license and the fees paid, are negotiated between the two parties. In short, a copyright is a legal protection that gives the creator exclusive rights to their work, while a license is an agreement between parties that allows the licensee to use the work according to the conditions negotiated by both parties. It is important to be aware of the distinctions between these two forms of intellectual property law, as they will determine the rights and responsibilities of both the copyright holder and the licensee.

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