What is Copyright?

Copyright When you create an original piece of work such as a story, poem, drawing or other pieces of artwork, you own the copyright to it. Copyright is a form of protection given to authors or creators of “original works”.

Copyright gives the author or creator of an original piece of work the following Exclusive Rights: The right to make copies of your work. The right to make copies of your work. The right to distribute copies of your work. The right to distribute copies of your work. The right to perform your work publicly. (Plays, Film) The right to perform your work publicly. (Plays, Film) The right to display your work publicly. (Artwork, Internet) The right to display your work publicly. (Artwork, Internet) The right to make changes to the work you created. (Derivative Works) The right to make changes to the work you created. (Derivative Works)

Copyright Laws make it illegal to : Make copies of someone’s work without their permission. Make copies of someone’s work without their permission. Distribute copies of someone’s work without their permission. Distribute copies of someone’s work without their permission. Perform someone’s work publicly without their permission. Perform someone’s work publicly without their permission. (Plays, Movies, Music) (Plays, Movies, Music) Display someone’s work publicly, without their permission. Display someone’s work publicly, without their permission. Make changes or modifications to someone’s work without their permission. Make changes or modifications to someone’s work without their permission.

“Fair Use Doctrine” The right of the public to make reasonable use of copyrighted material in special circumstances without the copyright owner’s permission. Criticism Criticism Comment Comment News Reporting News Reporting Teaching Teaching Scholarship Scholarship Research Research

Public Domain Works that belong to everyone and can be freely used without compensating the authors. Works consisting of information that is commonly available and that contain no original authorship.

Copyright Kids Learn more about copyright rules. Visit the web site: Take the Copyright Challenge and earn your Copyright Cat Certificate