What is Copyright? Learn about the basics of copyright with our online reference page.

The most recent major overhaul of copyright in the US, the Copyright Act of 1976, extended federal copyright to works as soon as they are created and "fixed", without requiring publication or registration.

Copyright is a type of intellectual property that protects original works of authorship as soon as an author fixes the work in a tangible form of expression.

A copyright is a form of protection provided by U.S. law to the authors of "original works of authorship" fixed in any tangible medium of expression. Learn more about the basics of copyrights.

May 5, 2026 · copyright, the exclusive, legally secured right to reproduce, distribute, and perform a literary, musical, dramatic, or artistic work.

Jun 2, 2026 · Learn what copyright protects, how it starts, what rights it gives you, and what happens when someone infringes on your work.

Copyright (or author’s right) is a legal term used to describe the rights that creators have over their literary and artistic works. Works covered by copyright range from books, music, paintings, sculpture, …

With copyright, a work can only be copied if the owner gives the permission to do so. If someone copies a work without permission, the owner can say that they infringed their copyright.

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May 7, 2026 · Copyright is a form of intellectual property that protects original works of authorship fixed in a tangible medium of expression, including literary, dramatic, musical, and artistic works, as well …