A type of intellectual property that gives the creators of creative works (e.g., literary, artistic, and musical works) certain rights over copies of that work.
See also: Copyright Infringement, Safe Harbor
Commentary:
- In the United States, copyright seeks to strike a balance between the rights and incentives of creators and the public interest in access to and enjoyment of creative works.
- Use of a copyrighted work without the owner’s permission may constitute infringement, which can give rise to liability, although limitations and exceptions on the creator’s rights, like fair use or fair dealing may serve as defenses, depending on factual context and jurisdiction.
- Online services can be misused to infringe copyrighted works so many services work to discourage and mitigate such abuse as part of compliance with U.S. copyright law.