There are three requirements people must fulfill to copyright something: The work must be fixed in a permanent state. It must be an expression of an idea. The work must be creative. However, there is another requirement that may not be as explicit: copyrights can...
Copyright Law
Why You Should Never Leave Your Creative Material to Chance
As a creator, you have ideas that no one else does. Your ingenuity and innovative skill has allowed you to carve a new path where there wasn’t one before - something most people never even attempt. Unfortunately, some will not hold the same reverence for your work,...
Does Sending Intellectual Property in an Email Constitute an Effective Copyright?
If you are a musician, artist, or other creative, you have probably heard any number of suspicious rumors about copyrighting your material. One of the most prevalent is the trope about “emailing your work to yourself” in lieu of filing an official copyright. While...
What to Learn From Taylor Swift About Intellectual Property
If you are a Taylor Swift fan, or you happen to listen to hits radio, you may have noticed that the megastar is re-releasing many of her older songs with the suffix "Taylor's Version" appended to the titles. This is not just a clever marketing play to help her fans...
Does a recipe count as intellectual property?
Food plays a significant role in the holiday season. People might dust off their grandmother's pumpkin pie recipe or whip up some of their famous wild rice soup to share at a party. However, just because someone's name is on a recipe does not mean they own it, at...
Could Ferrari case help other luxury brands tackle knock-offs?
Exclusivity can have a tremendous impact on the price and demand for a product or service. Often, people are willing to pay more for something they view as elite or unattainable by others. For instance, there can be an incredible demand for luxury handbags or limited...
Is there such a thing as ‘innocent’ copyright infringement?
Copyright infringement can be a serious — and costly — violation. And often, infringers are people who intentionally misuse someone else's protected work without permission and without paying for the right to use, reproduce or distribute copyrighted materials....
What to know about creating derivative works
Artistic works are more accessible than ever before. Individuals can share their creations across the world in a single upload to social media. Having this platform can launch an artist's career, but it also leaves them vulnerable to copyright disputes regarding...
A new year, new opportunities in public domain
The first day of a new year marks a new beginning and new opportunities. And it is not just a time to make resolutions; it is also a time when copyrighted materials from decades ago enter the public domain. Suppose you are the owner of a copyright or are interested in...
Can movements be copyrighted?
Technology industries are often at the heart of intellectual property disputes. After all, it is an industry where innovation and creativity are vital to just about every company's success. However, artistic enterprises also thrive or fail on those same components....