What is copyright??
Copyright aims at providing protection to authors (writers, artists, music composers, etc.) on
their creations. Such creations are usually designated as “works”.
What is covered by copyright?
Works covered by copyright include, but are not limited to, literary works such as novels, poems and plays; reference works such as encyclopedias and dictionaries; databases; newspaper articles; films and TV programs; musical compositions; choreography; artistic works such as paintings, drawings, photographs and sculptures; architecture; and advertisements, maps and technical drawings.
Copyright also protects computer programs.
Copyright does not however extend to ideas, but only to the expression of thoughts. For example, the idea of taking a picture of a sunset is not protected by copyright. Therefore, anyone may take such a picture. But a particular picture of a sunset taken by a photographer may be protected by copyright. In such a case, if someone else makes copies of the photograph, and starts selling them without the
consent of the photographer, that person would be violating the photographer’s rights.
Do you need to accomplish any formalities in order to be protected?
Copyright protection is obtained automatically without any need for registration or other formalities. A work enjoys protection by copyright as soon as it is created. However, many countries provide for a national system of optional registration and deposit of works. These systems facilitate, for example, questions involving disputes over ownership or creation, financing transactions, sales, assignments and transfers of rights.
