What is the term of a copyright?
A copyright is a form of intellectual property law that protects original works of authorship, such as books, movies, music, and artwork. In California, copyright protection begins when the work is created and lasts for the life of the author plus an additional 70 years. This means that the copyright holder, usually the author but sometimes the publisher, has the exclusive right to control the distribution and use of their work, including the right to make money from it. The term of copyright protection is often referred to as the “copyright duration”. In the United States, for works created after 1978, the copyright duration is the life of the author plus an additional 70 years. This means that the copyright holder can control the use and distribution of their work for that period of time. After the copyright expires, the work is considered to be in the public domain, which means that anyone can use and distribute the work without permission from the copyright holder. In California, the copyright duration is the same as the rest of the United States – the life of the author plus an additional 70 years. However, there are some special circumstances in which a copyright may be extended. For example, if a copyright holder dies before the copyright expired, the copyright can be extended up to 95 years from the date of original publication. It is important to note that copyright laws vary from country to country, so it is important to research the copyright laws of the country in which the work was created.
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