What is copyright?

Copyright is a form of legal protection provided by the law to authors, creators, and other owners of creative works. It is a type of intellectual property law that prevents other people from using, or copying, the work without permission. In North Dakota, copyright generally covers works like books, photographs, paintings, music, movies, computer software, and other literature or art that is fixed in tangible form. Copyright does not protect ideas, facts, or methods of operation, but rather the tangible form of expression such as a book or a song. The owner of the copyright has exclusive rights for the work, including the right to reproduce it, distribute it, display it, perform it, and make derivative works, which means creating new works based on the original copyrighted work. In the United States, copyright is enforced through the U.S. Copyright Office, and the process by which a work is registered for copyright protection is relatively straightforward. In North Dakota, copyright protects a creator’s work from the moment it is written, recorded, or otherwise expressed in tangible form. Copyright protection lasts for the life of the creator, plus an additional 70 years. During that time, the copyright holder has the exclusive right to produce and sell copies of the work. Infringement of copyright can lead to penalties, including actual damages, lost profits, and or even criminal charges in the most serious cases.

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What is copyright?

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