What is the difference between copyright and trademark law?

Copyright and trademark law both protect the intellectual property of individuals and companies. However, they are different and protect different types of property. Copyright protects original works of authorship, such as literature, music, videos, artwork, and photographs. It also covers computer programs. Trademark law protects symbols, words, and other designations that identify goods and services of one company from those of another. Copyright grants the owner of the work certain exclusive rights, such as the right to copy or distribute the work. It also provides protection from someone else profiting from the original creator’s work. Copyright protection lasts for a limited time, usually the life of the author plus 70 years. Trademark law does not grant exclusive rights, but it gives the owner certain exclusive rights to use their trademark and the ability to bring a law suit against someone else for using their trademark. In addition, it grants exclusive rights to a company to prevent others from using it in a way that would create confusion in the marketplace about the source of the goods or services. Trademark protection can last indefinitely as long as the trademark is being used and is not abandoned. In summary, copyright law provides exclusive rights to a creator of an original work, while trademark law protects the identity of goods or services by granting exclusive rights to the owner of the trademark.

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