Main content

Brought to you by WiredSafety
The world's largest Internet safety, help and education organization
www.wiredsafety.org
E-mail: info@wiredsafety.org

Accessibility

Skip to main content

Support Our Work
Become a volunteer for WiredSafety, the world's largest Internet safety, help and education organization.

WiredSafety is the world's largest online safety and help group

About us :: To volunteer :: Make a donation :: Link to us :: For the media :: Contact us

Report cybercrime here

If the cybercrime you wish to report is NOT listed above, please use our Cyber 911 Tipline. If your case is an emergency, we advise you to contact law enforcement immediately

You are here: Home > Law > Copyrights > What Are My Rights?

What Are My Rights?

The Copyright Owner Has Certain Exclusive Rights.

Subject to certain limitations, a copyright owner has exclusive rights regarding their "original work of authorship."

They have the exclusive right to: copy the work; distribute the work; and, in the case of certain performable works, the right to perform the copyrighted work publicly.

A copyright holder has the following five exclusive rights:

  • To copy, duplicate, transcribe, or imitate the work in fixed form (called a "reproduction right").
  • To modify the work to create a new work (This is called a "derivative work" and the right is called a "modification right")
  • To distribute copies of the work to the public by sale, rental, lease, or lending (called a distribution right).
  • To recite, play, dance, act, or show the work at public place or to transmit it to the public (called a "public performance right.") (Sound recordings, do not include a public performance right.)
  • To show a copy of the work directly or by means of a film, slide, or television image at a public place or to transmit it to the public (called a "disply right"). (In the case of a motion picture or other audiovisual work, showing the work's images in sequence is a public performance right, but out of sequence is considered "display.")

Copyright protection begins as soon as an original work of authorship is "fixed" in any tangible medium of expression. That means that the work is protected even before registration, as soon as "pen is put to paper," a copyright exists.

Copyright protection exists for both published and unpublished works, and for derivations based upon an original copyrighted work.

Copyrighted works are generally protected for the life of the author plus fifty years, or, in the case of works made for hire, seventy-five years from the date of first publication, or one hundred years from the year of its creation, whichever expires first.

© Wired Kids, Inc. :: About Us :: Site Map :: Privacy Policy :: Terms :: Bug Report ::
Parts of this Web site were taken from Parry Aftab's book The Parent's Guide to Protecting Your Children in Cyberspace. Marvel and all character names and the distinctive likenesses thereof are trademarks of Marvel Characters, Inc., and are used with permission. TM & © 2004 Marvel Characters, Inc. All rights reserved. www.marvel.com. Super Heroes is a Co-owned registered Trademark.
Back to the top