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Overview of Copyright Common Knowledge
- We all make use of copyrighted creative works whether we are reading, watching, listening OR copying, criticizing, or remixing.
- A work that is created today or after 1989 is protected by copyright as soon as it’s made and is generally protected for the lifetime of the creator, plus 70 years (for some works, it may be longer)
- Since 1989, there is no need to have a special © symbol on the protected work; it is protected by virtue of someone creating it and writing it down or recording it
- When copyright expires, the work moves into what is called the Public Domain
- Ideas and facts are not copyrightable
- Under the “Fair Use” laws, you can use copyrighted material without permission if you use it within Fair Use guidelines
