What are the copyright laws in the US?

Copyright laws in the United States exist to protect the work of creators, such as to ensure that they are compensated for their work. Copyright law in the US is governed by the US Constitution and by federal law. The Copyright Act of 1976 serves as the basis for all US copyright law. It gives creators the exclusive right to control the reproduction, distribution and performance of their work. This right is referred to as the “exclusive right to copy” and lasts for the life of the creator plus 70 years. Copyright protection is automatic for creators, which means that any work they create is protected by copyright law as soon as it is created and fixed in a tangible form. This means that works do not need to be registered to be protected by copyright law. That being said, registered works provide additional protection and can help creators to prove that they own the rights to their work. In South Carolina, creators can register their work with the US Copyright Office or with the State Office of Register of Copyrights. In addition, the state of South Carolina has passed additional statutes that provide for the protection of “sound recordings” and “musical compositions”. Creators should be aware of the laws in the US and in South Carolina that protect their work from being copied or used without their permission. These laws exist to ensure that creators are properly compensated for their work and that their creative work is respected.

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