FamilySearch Wiki:FAQ/Copyright: Difference between revisions

Copyright is the right, created  by statute, that the producer of a creative work has been granted to prevent others from copying it. Unlike a patent, however, in most places (i.e., countries) you don't have to apply for a copyright – you get one automatically every time you produce creative work. In the United States copyright is automatically applied from the moment of creation.

<br>A creative work can be almost anything – a book, a song, a picture, a photograph, a poem, a phrase, or a fictional character. In the US, buildings built on or after December 1, 1990 are also eligible for copyright. Licenses may be granted to others, giving them the right to copy the work subject to certain conditions. A license is similar to a contract – the work may only be copied under the conditions given by the copyright holder or if one of the other exceptions to the copy right applies.<br>Copyright laws vary between countries; the relevant US law is in the U.S. Constitution, Article 1, Section 8; Title 17 of the United States Code (17 USC, Copyrights) and 37 Code of Federal Regulations, Chapter 11 (37 CFR 11). You may also wish to consult the Copyright Act of 1976, the Berne Convention, the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension Act, and the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. See [http://www.copyrighthistory.org/htdocs/index.html Primary Sources on Copyright (1450 - 1900)].